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FREE CHICO’S NEWS SEPTEMBERVOLUMEENTERTAINMENTANDSOURCE46,ISSUE31–OCTOBER5, 2022 CHICO.NEWSREVIEW.COM ★OF CHICO 2022 B E S T 37th ANNUAL

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 3 CN&RINSIDEVol.46,Issue3 • September 1–October 5, 2022 Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Jason Cassidy Editor at large Melissa Daugherty Contributing Editor Evan Tuchinsky Staff Writers Ashiah Scharaga, Ken Smith Contributors Alastair Bland, Howard Hardee, Ken Pordes, Juan-Carlos Selznick, Robert Speer Managing Art Director Tina Flynn Publications & Advertising Designers Cathy Arnold, Katelynn Mitrano, Jocelyn Parker Sales & Business Coordinator Jennifer Osa Advertising Consultant Ray Laager Distribution Lead Jackson Indar Distribution Staff Michael Gardner, Jared Geiser, Josh Indar, Linda Quinn, Wolfgang Straub, Bill Unger, Richard Utter, Jim Williams Mailing Address P.O. Box 56, Chico, CA 95927 Advertising Mail PO Box 13370 Sacramento, CA 95813 Phone (530) 894-2300 Website chico.newsreview.com President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Director of Dollars & Sense Miranda Hansen Accounting Staff Gus Trevino System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins Got a News Tip? chiconewstips@newsreview.com Post Calendar Events chico.newsreview.com/calendar Want to Advertise? cnradinfo@newsreview.com Editorial Policies: Opinions expressed in CN&R are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles or other portions of the paper. CN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or review materials. Email letters to cnrletters@newsreview.com. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form and to edit them for libel. Advertising Policies: All advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of Acceptance. The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes the responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message. CN&R is printed at Western Web on recycled newsprint. CN&R is a member of Chico Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Chico Business Association, AAN and AWN. OPINION 4 Editorial 4 Letters 4 Editor’s Note 4 Guest Comment 5 This Modern World 5 Second & Flume 6 Streetalk 7 NEWSLINES 8 Downstroke 8 Cal State’s data obscures Black graduation rates 8 BEST OF CHICO 13 Big winners under the big top ARTS & CULTURE 44 September Events 44 Scene 48 & 50 Reel World 52 Arts DEVO 53 Brezsny’s Astrology 55 ON THE COVER: DESIGN BY TINA FLYNN 50 BEST MORE ONLINE Find content available only at chico.newsreview.com 13 Bruce Jenkins Insurance & Financial Services CA License #0B86680 •Medicare Supplement Plans •Medicare Advantage Plans •Social Security Maximization •Retirement Income Planning •Life Insurance We530-781-3592willdotheresearchforyou!www.brucejenkinsinsurance.com HEEL & SOLE SHOES 708 MANGROVE AVENUE | 530.899.0725 HEEL & SOLE SHOES FALL$10FAVORITES!

Joey Moshiri—videomaker, probably wearing a costume

Kevin Jaradah—craft beer enthusiast; Spike’s Bottle Shop owner

Logan Alaways—manager at Focal Point Discount Landscaping

The measure comes as families grapple with higher costs of goods and services. That’s a big hurdle: How many want to pay even more? The economy is, for the most part, beyond the city’s control. But council conservatives did this effort no favors by focusing on another measure: a “quality of life” initiative rushed for the general election. At the ballot deadline, they went ahead with an ordinance that, if voters approve, would force the city to respond to complaints of nuisances on public property within 20 days.

LETTERS

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Preston Powers—cobbler (Preston’s); KZFR host (“Blues Bayou)

Steve O’Bryan —Pullins Cyclery owner; KZFR host (“Celt Radio”)

Sue Reed—Bootleg consignment owner and hella Cali girl

based on successful programs that have been working in other towns for years. Why not give it a try? There is vacant land. NSST has a plan. We have a crisis. Charles Withuhn Chico Protect watershed Only 4 percent of Plumas National Forest has permanent protections.

Jake Sprecher—rocker; rock promoter (Valley Fever)

Don’t ignore; help It has been said: “The quality of mercy is not strained” (Shakespeare); “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (TheWhyBible).should we be concerned with ancient wisdom? Because it is to our advantage.Thinkabout it: If you help someone who is desperate, they are typically grateful. If you ignore someone who is desperate, they get more desperate! I find gratitude more rewarding to deal with than desperation. This is why I volunteer with the North State Shelter Team (NSST), because it has a fruitful purpose and it is rewarding. NSST has a plan before the Chico City Council now for a managed and monitored campground on the outskirts of town (that needs no city money) LETTERS

Jenna Fink—Action News Now sports reporter/director

As one of the editors who has been privvy to the spreadsheets of Best of Chico tabulations for many years, I can tell you there is a lot of love from the community for a lot of y’all, buried in the numbers. Just because someone’s name or business isn’t in the CN&R for this annual issue doesn’t mean they weren’t chosen. In the category of Best Local Personality, there are so many single votes; this year, nearly 70 of them. Yours truly even got one.

Progressive Councilwoman Alex Brown—who opposed the budget, the sales tax measure and the nuisance abatement measure—called the quality of life proposal “a performance art piece” aimed to appease the conservatives’ supporters. It’s hard to disagree, given the lengths the council went to get something—anything—on the Whichballot. measure would truly improve the quality of life in Chico? Ω

Council ballot moves don’t measure up

(Thanks, Mom? Connie?) Below I’ve gathered as many of them as I could dig up info on, and all these ones add up to a colorful picture of our fun, funky little community.

OPINION

Jeremy V—radio personality (Z-Rock) and local theater dude

Joel Robinson—registered nurse

Ron Woodward—radio personality, Thunder 100.7 FM

Ryan Nelson—beertender at Chico Taproom

Hayden Hill—real estate photographer

Sheriff Kory Honea—lawman; press conference boss

Teri Dubose—Broadway Pawn owner; Citizens for a Safe Chico Will Watje—guitarist at Decades

Jason Cassidy is editor of the Chico News & Review

Guillermo Mash—KZFR host (“Imagining Community”)

Russell Damien—radio personality, KZFR and NSPR

City officials got word in mid-August that the federal government would grant $12.4 million to Chico for disaster recovery from the Camp Fire. Those funds, for infrastructure projects, follow $22.1 million in COVID stimulus money from the American Rescue Plan Act. The city’s coffers would seem to be flush with cash.

Austin Farwell—funky bassist for Smokey the Groove “Big-colorful-hat guy dancing on bike”

DJ Amburgers—KZFR host (“Funky Reservation,” “Feral Radio”)

Congratulations!

Kathleen Makel—attorney

Orval Hughes—loan officer at Summit Funding

Patrick Newman—Chico Friends on the Street founder

The Upper Feather River watershed’s biodiversity is exceptional: conifer forests; mammal, bird, and insect diversity; and the potential for protection are all special. California’s only gray wolves make their home here. It’s a hot spot for three rare or endangered frogs and a stronghold for western bumble bees. Fuels reduction is essential to maintain and restore healthy conifer forests of Northern Sierra Nevada, as is protecting large, fire-resilient trees that capture most carbon. Fires on private industrial forest land are nearly twice as likely to be high severity as fires on public lands. Humans start more than 80 percent of wildfires, and more than 4,000 miles of roads in Plumas National Forest provide abundant access. New roads are Ifunnecessary.youlikethe forests, rivers and canyons of the Upper Feather River

Aaron Rodgers—Pleasant Valley High grad; pro athlete Adam White—aka ALO, bass-music producer/promoter Angela McLaughlin—Stand Up For Chico founder Ashley Brooks—loan officer at Brooks Lending Team

Greg Hopkins—plumber; bassist for West by Swan, Tite Nauts

Sawyer Goodson—goth; drummer for all the bands

EDITORIAL

Send guest comments, 300 words maximum, to gc@newsreview.com or to P.O. Box 56, Chico, CA 95927. Please include photo & short bio.

Doug Love—realtor at Century 21

Jesse Grigg—The Commons Social Empourium co-owner

Doug Stein—frontman for Swamp Zen and Low Flying Birds

After all, the City Council conservatives passed a budget for fiscal year 2022-23 totaling $211 million—up from $142.9 million last year. They nearly doubled the spending on projects, from $44.4 million to $97.4 million, and bumped up operating expenses to $113.6 million. But don’t let the figures fool you: Chico is not rolling in dough. That should be obvious by the condition of our roads, which are years behind in maintenance; same with the wastewater treatment system. Federal doles are temporary. The city can’t bank on bailouts. That’s why the same conservatives who went bullish on the budget also placed a sales tax measure on the ballot. Chicoans will decide in November whether to add 1 percent on purchases to boost the general fund. The city estimates gaining $24 million a year. Ironically, conservatives opposed an increase put forward under the previous, progressive majority. They flipped even while, as if by reflex, expressing a position against taxes. And there certainly are compelling arguments not to support a sales tax, such as disproportionately impacting lower-income citizens.

Y’all are the best

Rafiki Webster—KZFR host (“Funky Reservation,” “All Mixed Up”); Safeway dude Randy Taylor—Chico History Museum volunteer Rocky Winslow—trumpeter; Chico State jazz man

Bob Backstrom—For the Funk of It co-founder; comedy guy Cootdog—DJ, sound engineer, MC for Mystic Roots Band

Maurice Huffman—aka Big Mo of Big Mo & the Full Moon Band

EDITOR’S NOTE by Jason Cassidy jasonc@newsreview.com 4 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

DJ Jigga Julie—radio personality, Power 102 FM

Friends of Plumas Wilderness aims to change that. The Feather River is headwaters of the State Water Project, supplying water to 27 million Californians. The rugged Middle Fork Feather is one of eight rivers protected in 1968. Plumas National Forest staff have identified another 200 miles along 21 more rivers for Wild and Scenic designation. This would ensure our free-flowing rivers remain without dams or diversions.

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SPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 5

The author is a Camp Fire survivor and co-owner of manufactured-homeaparkinParadise.

M y wife and I own Oak Hill Mobile Estates, one of more than 30 manufactured-home parks in Paradise that burned in the Camp Fire caused by PG&E. We were the first park to accept new tenants and the first full. We are proud of the job we have done to provide housing for Paradise fire victims and others in need.Like so many other business owners, because the fire victims’ trust fund has prioritized business owners last, we have received no offers or compensation for our loss after almost four years of struggle. In the last quarterly update from our attorneys, we learned that the trust fund still owns roughly 377 million shares of PG&E stock, currently valued at a little more than $4 billion. This is roughly 30 percent of the total funds dedicated to reimburse fire victims for theirClaimantslosses. are receiving no more than 45 percent of the total money due to them in a first pro-rated payment. So far, roughly two thirds of victims have received some money. All victims are to receive their 45 percent allocation before the remaining balance of the money is distributed. It was made clear in the meeting with our attorneys that the administrators of the fund are planning to hold the bulk of the stock because of several long-term factors favorable to increasing its value. Their logic went something like this: So far, PG&E has not caused any fires this season, and if they don’t over the rest of the summer or fall, values should go up. Do you see the $4 billion risk here? We do, and we are extremely concerned. Since PG&E burned down Paradise in 2018, the company has continued to burn down towns every year with outdated equipment and gross mismanagement.Administrators are taking a dangerous risk. We are being asked to wait longer for our payments while they hope PG&E causes no fires that would tank the value of stock and significantly reduce victims’ compensation. by Richard Stach

Don’t risk fire-victim funds

It’s reminded me of a story I wrote years ago about a woman in a motorized wheelchair who took the city to task over accessibility problems. The woman was encyclopedic about the Americans with Disabilities Act, the federal civil rights law that protects disabled people from discrimination, and she got my attention by the pointed yet polite way she addressed the City Council on such matters. While doing background research for the story, I was told off the record by an ADA compliance expert that Chico had a reputation for doing little to no proactive accessibility work. Fixes generally came only as the result of big projects—say, major grant-funded improvements or private infill development—or in response to lawsuits.

Melissa Daugherty is editor-at-large for the Chico News & Review

The story generated positive feedback from several readers who were either disabled or had loved ones with disabilities. However, overwhelmingly, the response from local people without disabilities was unsympathetic. Some made excuses for the city, the most ridiculous of which was linking ADA noncompliance to the Great Recession and the subsequent straitened coffers. At the time, that was a recent development, whereas the federal law had been signed by former President George H.W. Bush in 1990, more than 20 years earlier.

Over the past three weeks, my son has been convalescing at home from surgery on his foot and leg. We’d go stir crazy if we were stuck in the house all day, so we use his wheelchair to go for neighborhood strolls. Our street is part of Chico’s Bikeway 99 route, and though greatly traveled by vehicles as well as cyclists, thanks to grant funding related to biking, it’s one of the better-paved streets in what I like to call our “city of potholes.”Thesidewalks are another story. The neighborhood dates back to the 1950s and ’60s, and its infrastructure looks like it. There are massive cracks and juts in the concrete, and in some places, there are no sidewalks at all. It makes our route a bit challenging, requiring me to manually dodge obstacles.

I listened to my source’s complaints, but what was really eye-opening was shadowing her around town. It wasn’t an exaggeration to call the trip from downtown to her home, roughly five blocks away, dangerous for her and other people in wheelchairs. In fact, around that same time, my husband and I helped another woman get back into a motorized chair after taking a bad spill from hitting a raised downtown sidewalk.

by Melissa Daugherty melissad@newsreview.com

SECOND & FLUME 6 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Worse, though, was how so many viewed the woman as a pariah. Ultimately, I came away deeply disappointed in my community. It’s been a full decade since that story was published. Some excellent improvements have been completed in that time, namely the reconfiguration of First and Second streets, including the roundabouts, and the state’s work on Eighth and Ninth streets, which now have fully connected sidewalks. But, again, those were big projects reliant on grant funding. Elsewhere, Chico’s infrastructure remains largely outmoded. As for the city’s sympathy quotient, one would hope that local society has evolved on the issue. If it has, I’ve not seen the evidence. Anecdotally, based on my recent experiences, people are clueless. On my aforementioned strolls with my son, we encounter cars parked over the sidewalk, forcing us into the street. In other places, rogue vegetation has taken over the path of pedestrian travel. I give a lot more leeway to neglectful gardeners than I do oblivious drivers, but the feral plants are still an annoyance.Thingis,my son gets his cast off in another five weeks. What we’re experiencing is a temporary inconvenience. But that’s not the case for a lot of folks in this community, and they deserve better.

onlineusFind chico.newsreview.comSOURCEENTERTAINMENTNEWSCHICO’S&

Obstacles

Chris Allen craft employeestore One where I have free time. I’m trying to learn how to do computer programming, so if I have time during the day to devote to that. If it’s a day that I’m learning, then that’s a good day. Asked in downtown Chico Your definition of a “best day?”

favoritefriends,hanginghappy—likeoutwithplayingmysportslikesoftball.

Darla DeRuiter Quincy Editor’s note: The author is the executive director of Friends of Plumas Wilderness. Grateful for Joe Right-wing pundits discuss President Biden’s “dementia” as fact. These folks were not concerned when their President Trump was throwing spaghetti sauce against White House dining room walls or ignoring the COVID-19 threat. But they like to spread rumors about any Democratic president. Joe Biden continues his presidential duties in orderly fashion, meeting each problem as it occurs with intelligence and logic. We owe this president a debt of gratitude for bringing common sense back to Washington after a chaotic four years of AppreciateTrump.President Biden’s steady leadership. He will get us through the severe challenges.

Write a letter Tell us what you think in a letter to the editor. Send submissions of 200 or fewer words to cnrletters@newsreview.com. Deadline for October 6 print publication is September 26.

LETTERS

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For me, a best day would look like: meeting with people that you really love and having fun with them. And, doing anything that you love. I love to play soccer. I love to paint. I love to go on adventures anywhere. Melissa Glover dental manageroffice No work. Food, friends and fun. Recreation outdoors: camping, fishing, going to the ocean. Ariana Lopez student Doing something that makes me really

STREETALK

watershed, now is the time to protect them. Protection doesn’t restrict existing access or prevent forest health work, fire fighting and post-fire restoration. Explore Friends of Plumas Wilderness website (plumaswilderness. org) and join the field trip series to learn more about increasing protections.

For fire victims, a PG&E-caused fire and corresponding loss of stock value would be catastrophic.Thefirevictims’ trust fund must stop playing with our money. Administrators should move quickly to sell as many shares of PG&E stock as fast as possible without causing a significant drop in value. The trust fund represents victims. Our attorneys need to send a strong message to the trust to stop taking risks with our money. Ω

Pritam Chakraborty student

Robert Woods Forest Ranch GUEST COMMENT

In response, the university has added admissions staff and focused on recruitment data and analytics, he said, and is encouraged by a 4 percent increase of incoming freshmen compared to last year.

With four of the seven Chico City Council district seats up for grabs in the Nov. 8 election—each with a conservative and a progressive candidate—there is potential for a shift in the balance of the current 6-1 conservative majority.

Jerry Ross, Chico State’s vice president for enrollment management, said myriad factors have contributed to the decline, including impacts of wildfires, the pandemic and a strong labor market.

NEWSLINES

figures

Hidden

8 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

DOWNSTROKE UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT DOWN Dipping to the lowest level in at least 20 years, fall enrollment at Chico State was 13,850 at the start of the semester. In the past two decades, the university’s enrollment has ranged between 15,500 and 17,800 but has been declining since 2017, when there were 17,789 students.

In District 3, Dale Bennett, appointed to fill a council vacancy last summer, is seeking to fill out the remaining two years of the term. A former planning commissioner, he faces Monica McDaniel, an educator, arts commissioner and founder of the Chico Arts & Culture Foundation. The other races feature newcomers. District 4 has Nichole Nava, a senior case manager with the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services, and Addison Winslow, a progressive local activist and housing consultant, squaring off. In District 6, progressive Jesica Giannola, a housing case manager, is running against conservative Tom Van Overbeek, a business owner.

“We’ve been pushing the chancellor’s office for years about disaggregating and giving us the data,” said Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity, a student advocacy organization. “We’ve always been critical of that.”

Cal State’s Black students fall behind, with poor graduation data obscuring the crisis by AboutZinshteynMikhailthearticle: This story was produced by CalMatters, an independent public journalism venture covering California state politics government.and percent of all students in the “underrepresented minority” category—in keeping with the size of their population in the system and state—that makes the data almost entirely a reflection of the success of Latino students.Consequently, the deeper inequities faced by Black students remain hidden.Onaverage, Cal State graduates 57 percent of its first-time students who are underrepresented minorities within six years, a gap of 12 percentage points compared to White, Asian and other students who don’t fall into that grouping. But the graduation gap between Black students and students outside the underrepresented-minority category is 20 percentage points—and has been that way for 15 years. Last year, across the system, Cal State graduated 770 fewer first-time and transfer Black students after six and four years, respectively, than its targets for 2025. In other words, Cal State’s default method of presenting minority data suggests the system is much closer to closing the achievement gap for Black students than it actually is.

Yet at the November 2021 Board of Trustees meeting that discussed the gaps in graduation rates, Cal State senior officials never mentioned the deeper equity gaps Black students experience or disaggregated any data by specific racial groups. Instead, both the publicly available written material and oral discussion focused solely on the underrepresented minority student gap. No one from the Cal State’s Office of the Chancellor made themselves available for an interview for

OFF TO THE (COUNCIL) RACES

In District 2, Vice Mayor Kasey Reynolds, owner of Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy, is seeking another term. She is challenged by progressive Morgan Kennedy, a community organizer with a background in social services and reproductive health.

At the close of the first-ever California State University Juneteenth Symposium this summer, the CSU’s top executive laid out an agenda for improving the Black student experience at the nation’s largest public universityThesystem.first item on Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester’s list? “We need to disaggregate the data,” she said. ThatHuh?might sound dry, but there’s a good reason why it’s top of mind: Cal State’s struggle to graduate its Black students often goes unmentioned in the system’s public reporting about graduationCombined,rates. the system’s 23 campuses graduate just half of Black students who enter as freshmen over a six-year period—well below the overall six-year average of 63 percent, according to the latest data from 2021. But you wouldn’t know it from looking at how Cal State reports. In its marquee data tool showing the system’s efforts to close achievement gaps among ethnic and racial groups, Black, Latino and Native American students are lumped into a single category of “underrepresented minorities.” With Latino students comprising about 91

Extreme variation

Cal State’s approach of bundling various identity groups may run afoul of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, said Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a civil rights legal group that has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. “I would say as a matter of legal compliance with federal law, you should not be over-aggregating data like that,” he said.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 9 this story. Interim Chancellor Koester turned down a CalMatters request for an interview. So did Jeff Gold, interim associate vice president of student success for the system. In a written statement, Gold explained that the Cal State system adopted the underrepresented minority metric in 2009 and built it into the 2025 goals of its graduation initiative that launched in 2015.

NEWSLINES CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 Commencement

Whileexperience.separatedata about Black student success is attainable, the numbers are tucked away in large datasets that lack the simplicity of the system’s other digital displays of student progress. To determine the equity gaps facing Black students, CalMatters analyzed systemwide and campus-specific graduation data by race. CalMatters also recreated the underrepresented and non-underrepresented categories to compare them to Black student graduation rates. As part of its ambitious 2025 goal to increase graduation rates, Cal State says it wants to eliminate the graduation rate gap between certain students of color and their peers. In 2015, the system launched

Race isn’t only factor There’s little excuse to have graduation rates that low, given how small the Black student population is at each of Cal State’s 23 campuses, experts said. In 2015, out of an average freshman class of nearly 2,800, only CSU graduation rates by race and ethnicity over time

Take Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, for example. To compare the graduation rate gap between Black students and white students, an internet user would have to click on each group individually, record the information manually and then spot the equityThegaps.CalState system’s own in-depth graduation rate portal also presents the data in a way that requires users to record each racial and ethnic group individually, such as by downloading the data as spreadsheets to enable mathematical comparisons. Some of the campus websites, such as Cal Poly’s, don’t even allow the user to download the data as spreadsheets, further limiting the public’s ability to easily spot equity gaps. It doesn’t have to be that way. The graduation rate websites for San Diego State and San Jose State, for example, show each racial and ethnic group’s success side by side, allowing users to instantly notice the depth of the equity gaps across demographic groups.

“Despite the problematic nature of the term ‘URM’ and the limitations of the underlying methodology, the CSU decided not to abandon this metric and/or change the goalposts midstream,” he wrote. In other words, the system won’t change its approach to measuring equity gaps because of a decision it made seven years ago and won’t change until 2025 at the earliest. The Cal State system “is committed” to moving away from the underrepresented minority metric for future graduation initiatives, Gold said. Gold then noted that individual campuses “regularly disaggregate student retention and graduation rate data by race, gender, ethnicity” and other descriptors, such as household incomeHowever,levels.CalMatters research found nine of the 23 campuses had either no functioning graduation rate data tool, tools with outdated data or tools that didn’t reveal graduation rates by race or ethnicity. The remaining campuses do present their graduation rate data by race and ethnicity, but most share the information in cumbersome ways.

The university system’s website dedicated to closing the achievement gap compares the aggregated groups to each other, not individual racial groups that would have clearly illustrated the much wider equity gaps Black students

Graduation Initiative 2025, which also includes goals to bring CSU graduation rates up to 70 percent for first-time students and 85 percent for transfers in a six-year window. Since the graduation initiative’s inception, the six-year graduation rate for Black students who entered as freshmen increased from 41.9 percent to 49.7 percent systemwide, part of an overall 15-year trend of more students finishing. But over those 15 years, the six-year graduation rate gap between Black and white students who entered as freshmen has actually widened slightly. It was 21.9 percent in 2006; in 2021, it was 22.2 percent. Though the system is poised to reach its overall graduation targets, “we are not yet on track in eliminating the equity-gap part of the challenge,” said then-Chancellor Joseph Castro during last November’s Board of Trustees meeting. Still, he added: “I believe that we can still do it.” Drill down to individual campuses, and the disparity between Black student success and the larger underrepresented minority grouping is more extreme. At Sonoma State, the six-year graduation achievement gap for underrepresented and non-underrepresented first-time students has practically closed— there’s a difference of just 1.4 percentage points. But the gap between Black students and their non-underrepresented peers is 20 percentage points. Only one Cal State campus, San Diego in May at Chico State, where the achievement gap for Black students was statistically significant last year. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICO STATE State, has effectively closed its six-year freshman graduation achievement gap, both between underrepresented and non-underrepresented students and between Black students and non-underrepresented students. At least one Cal State legislative report painted an incomplete picture of its efforts to close equity gaps. Last year, the system wrote to lawmakers that Cal State Northridge narrowed its achievement gap by 4 percentage points between underrepresented and non-underrepresented minority groups between 2019 and 2020. That’s true, but only because the non-minority group graduation rate dropped by 3 points. The graduation rate for Black students actually declined by a percentage point in that time—something the report does not mention. While the report mentioned equity gaps between underrepresented and nonunderrepresented student groups, it never broke out the data by individual racial and ethnicEquitygroups.gaps are even more pronounced for community college transfer students across the system, who make up almost half of all Cal State undergraduate students. After four years, the graduation gap between underrepresented minority transfer students and their non-underrepresented peers has been between 2 and 3 percentage points the past six years. But the graduation gap between Black transfer students and non-underrepresented students has ranged from 9 to 12 percentage points in the same period. That works out to about 1,200 fewer Black transfer students earning degrees during that Deepertime.equity gaps exist among transfer students at individual campuses. At Cal State Bakersfield, the gap in graduation rates after four years between underrepresented and non-underrepresented transfer students is 2 percentage points. But the gap between Black students and their non-underrepresented peers is 18 percentage points. In fact, 22 of the 23 Cal State campuses were within single digits of closing the achievement gap between underrepresented transfer students and their non-underrepresented peers. But the same was true for just seven Cal State campuses when comparing Black student graduation rates to their nonunderrepresented peers.

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“You would think that they would have enough energy to devote to a small cohort,” said Lesa Johnson, a Black sociology profes sor at Chico State who’s studied campus race relations.AtChico State, the Black student ver sus non-underrepresented minority student achievement gap is 26 percentage points for the most recent year. Among all Cal States, only Channel Islands, with a gap of 31 per centage points, has a wider gap—even as its gap between underrepresented minority and non-underrepresented minority students is 8 percentage points.

To James Minor, former assistant vice chancellor at the CSU’s systemwide office, any help for struggling students at the sys tem directly improves the academic fates of Black students. He highlighted various efforts underway to improve graduation rates for all students, including re-enrolling students who stopped attending and lowering the share of stu dents earning Ds and Fs. Cal State is also trying additional software, and contacting students in the spring who haven’t signed up for fall class es—a clear sign they may drop out. All those efforts benefit Black students, too, he said.

“You would think that they would have enough energy to devote to a small cohort.”

On the other hand, Cal State Dominguez Hill’s equity efforts have regressed. Four years ago, there was virtually no six-year graduation rate gap between Black first-time students and non-underrepresented minority students. Since then, the grad rate for Black students fell about 5 percentage points while the rate for non-underrepresented minority students grew nearly 10 percentage points.

“I think there is a very sincere and inten tional effort to close these equity gaps,” said Thomas Parham, president of Cal State Dominguez Hills and one of three Black cam pus presidents at the Cal State system. “If I had a question about whether we were really committed to the work, then I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing.”

Parham also cautioned race isn’t the only factor in understanding the data behind the achievement gaps. Whether a student is lowincome and first in their family to attend col lege can also affect the likelihood that they graduate.Dominguez Hills has a large share of students who fit some or all of those demo graphic profiles, as well as those who come from communities that endure systemic rac ism. Like others with similar student-body profiles, Dominguez Hills has to work harder to see students cross the finish line than cam puses with more affluent students and who aren’t from underrepresented backgrounds, Parham said.

The president of the Cal State with the larg est share of Black students doesn’t see decep tion in how the system is portraying the data.

An 8 percent gap “doesn’t seem so severe,” said Siqueiros. But the “strategies that we’re going to do to close an 8 percent gap versus a 31 percent gap are obviously going to be super Somedifferent.”campuses have just a few dozen entering freshmen who are Black. As a consequence, a slight change in the number of Black students graduating can lead to big swings in the graduation rate. Cal State Channel Islands enrolled just 25 Black fresh men in 2015, graduating only eight Black students after six years, for a graduation rate of 32 percent. Had the campus graduated eight more Black students, its graduation rate for Black students would have been 64 percent— enough to completely close the equity gap with non-underrepresented students.

But the university system needs to target Black students specifically, experts and stu dents told CalMatters.

While CSU leader Koester explicitly called out disaggregating data as a goal for improv ing the Black student experience in the Cal State system, that would appear to conflict with other goals she and the system share.

Still, for both transfer and first-time stu dents, Cal State Dominguez Hills has a nar rower equity gap for Black students and under represented minority students than the system average for the most recent year. Dominguez Hills also has a narrower equity gap than Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, whose student body is 1 percent Black, 19 percent URM and 16 percent low-income—data points that are far below the system average and well under the share of high school graduates in California who took college-ready courses.

118 were Black students, roughly 4 percent.

—Lesa Johnson, chico State professor

If Cal State doesn’t want to disaggregate the data regarding Black student achievement until 2025 because of the 10-year goal it set in 2015—as interim associate vice president Gold told CalMatters—then it probably won’t do so under Koester. When Koester took the position of interim chancellor in March, she told CalMatters she doesn’t want the job per manently, that she was “150 percent commit ted” to the interim position. Ω

530-636-4574|www.proframeconstruction.com LICENSE #1024110

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 13 Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Best of Chico, the Chico News & Review’s greatest show of the year, is back in town! The big tent is pitched, and the annual celebration of the most outstanding goods, spectacular services, amazing restaurants and astounding people begins right now! You voted for your favorites (and the CN&R editorial staff did, too). Now, read on to see the best of our community get their time in the spotlight. BEST Come one, come all! Big winners under the big top S READERS’ PICKS Goods & Services ........................... 14 Food & Drink .................................... 22 Nightlife & The Arts ...................... 28 Health & Wellness ......................... 33 Community........................................ 36 EDITORS’ PICKS Bonus acts .......................................... 40 Best bites ........................................... 41 B E S T O F C H I C O

THIRD Place: Guido’s Auto Precision 135 W. Eighth Ave., 891-8313 Baby/Kids’ Clothier

SECOND Place: Spencer Automotive 2540 Dominic Drive, 345-5600

Bob and Linda Fitzgerald opened Concours Elite in 1982. When it comes to painting, structure repair and getting people’s rides into competition shape, theirs is the go-to shop for Chicoans.

14 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Auto Repair Shop

FIRST Place: Affordable Automotive 2106 Park Ave., 892-1774 Affordable Automotive can handle any repair, from preventive maintenance to transmission work to diagnosing and fixing those mystery rattles we all know too well. With the shop’s guarantee and warranty promise, customers know they’re getting service they can trust.

THIRD Place: Mike Knight Customs 2961 Hwy 32, Stes. 54-56, 214-9949

SECOND Place: Hudson’s Appliance Center 2525 Dominic Dr., Ste. D, 877-6312

THIRD Place: Collier Hardware 105 Broadway, 342-0195

FIRST Place: Rooney Law Firm 1458 Esplanade, 345-5678 As a former probation officer and public defender, Michael Rooney has a lot of experience with the criminal justice system. But his practice isn’t limited to defense—Chicoans also trust him with cases in other areas, such as personal injury and family law.

READERS’PICKS2022

FIRST Place: Northern Star Mills 510 Esplanade, 342-7661 See Best Feed Store/Farm Supply.

THIRD Place: Members 1st Credit Union Two locations: 969 East Ave. & 550 Salem St., 222-6060 Barbershop

THIRD Place: Gentlemen’s Barbershop 151 Broadway, 774-2157

Once Upon a Child

SECOND Place: Golden Valley Bank 190 Cohasset Road, Ste. 170, 894-1000

FIRST Place: Pullins Cyclery 801 Main St., 342-1055 Pullins Cyclery opened in Chico in 1918; Steve and Katy O’Bryan took over in 1984. During their tenure, the shop has become a regular stop for locals looking get a new or restored ride or just chat up Steve, who regularly holds court on the worn, wooden floors on topics ranging from local politics to Irish music. Best stuff under the big top

FIRST Place: Liberty Barber Co. 240 Main St., Ste. 180, 630-7313 Open for just a year and a half, the hip, warm and welcoming Liberty Barber Co. shop already can boast two Best of Chico awards. A traditional shop offering cuts, beard trims and hottowel straight-razor shaves, Liberty also features a complimentary beverage and a shoulder massage with each visit.

FIRST Place: Ginno’s Kitchen & Appliance Center 2505 Zanella Way, 342-2182 Ginno’s is Chico’s largest independent appliance dealer, family-owned and -operated for more 50 years. The friendly and knowledgeable staff help customers navigate a wide selection of styles from leading manufacturers and also come to homes for installations and trusted repairs.

Bank/Credit Union

Attorney

FIRST Place: Once Upon a Child 801 East Ave., Ste. 106, 592-3824 Once Upon a Child boasts being North America’s No. 1 children’s resale franchise, and the Chico store is stuffed with ready-to-wear, gently used clothes along with toys and equipment that meet current safety standards.

FIRST Place: Eighth & Main Antiques 745 Main St., 893-5534 Eighth & Main is huge! Across two buildings, it spans 29,000 square feet, housing vendors selling everything from antiques and collectibles to vintage clothing and vinyl records.

Antiques Store

THIRD Place: Country Squyres Antiques 164 E. Third St., 342-6764

THIRD Place: Law Offices of Aaron J. Stewart 2571 California Park Drive, Ste. 100, 345-2212 Auto Paint/Body Shop

SECOND Place: JP’s Paint & Body Works 1840 Park Ave., 342-1328

THIRD Place: Kat’s Meow 138 W. Third St., 899-8811

SECOND Place: Apple Blossom Baby 977 East Ave, Ste. 90, 345-1617

SECOND Place: Danny’s Barbershop 544 Broadway St., 332-0553

SECOND Place: Chico Ag Mart 1334 Park Ave, 809-2367

Goods & Services

FIRST Place: Concours Elite Collision Center 2267 Esplanade, Ste. D, 891-0234

FIRST Place: Tri Counties Bank Multiple locations The first branch of Tri Counties Bank opened in Chico on March 11, 1975, at the current 2171 Pillsbury Road location. There are now branches all over the state operated by more than 1,500 employees. Customers have come to know the bank by its core values of trust, respect, integrity, communication and opportunity, or TRICO.

SECOND Place: Little Red Hen 215 Main St., 894-1311

Ag/Growing Supplies

SECOND Place: The Law Office of Nikki Farris 2607 Forest Ave., Ste. 120, 898-1488

THIRD Place: Tractor Supply Co. 2475 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy, 897-0669

Appliance Store

Bike Shop

FIRST Place: Chico Nissan Hyundai 2562 Cohasset Road, 893-1777 This locally owned business started with the Nissan dealership in 1961 and added the Hyundai half 30 years ago. Many of the employees have been with the company for years, even decades, contributing to Chico Nissan Hyundai’s reputation for customer service.

FIRST Place: Taxi Dave 514-8770It’sjustDave and his plain white cab, taxiing locals around town every day but Sunday. Now a winner two years in a row.

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THIRD Place: G-Ride Pedi-Cab & Trolley 354-9885

SECOND Place: Courtesy Automotive Center 2520 Cohasset Road, 345-9444

SECOND Place: Power Market Multiple locations

FIRST Place: Zente Farms 420-9001Withapproved Chico dispensaries in the process of getting up and running, local patients still need to order their flowers and edibles from delivery services such as this year’s favorite, Zente Farms.

FIRST Place: Labelz Upscale Consignment Boutique 974 Mangrove Ave., 345-1615 As the name suggests, Labelz Upscale Consignment Boutique trades in a curated selection of women’s clothing. Owner Jamie Withrow took over the shop in 2019 and has kept it stocked with seasonal/current clothing and accessories.

SECOND Place (tie): Perfect Union 691-7199 Car Dealership

THIRD Place: 2econd Life 641 Nord Ave., Ste. B, 466-6966

FIRST Place: Angels Nail & Spa 965 Nord Ave., Ste. 100-A, 487-7322 Open the door of the unassuming West Chico business on any given day, and inside the place will be packed with customers and nearly as many manicurists at work. The spa offers more than just nail services, too, with eyelash extensions, waxing and complementary glasses of wine (or soda, or water) on the menu as well.

THIRD Place: AMain Cycling 2070 E. 20th St., 894-6075

SECOND Place: Flair Custom Cleaners 660 Mangrove Ave., 345-0522

SECOND Place: Chico Yellow Cab 893-4444

SECOND Place: SkyLab Nails & Spa 611 Walnut St., 518-6908

SECOND Place: Scrubbs 1020 Skyway, 893-4885

Cab Company

THIRD Place: Urban Medspa 3221 Cohasset Road, 891-8772 Dry Cleaner

THIRD Place: Chico Express Cleaners Two locations: 641 Walnut St., 343-6013; 752 East Ave., 343-8844 StudioEsthetician/Waxing

SECOND Place: Bootleg 126 W. Second St., 895-1426

Labelz

Cannabis Dispensary (within driving distance of Chico)

FIRST Place: 7-Eleven Multiple locations

THIRD Place: Chuck Patterson Toyota 200 East Ave., 895-1771 Car Wash

THIRD Place (tie): PDQ Market & Deli 156 Eaton Road, Ste. A, 345-9966 Day Spa

SECOND Place: Greenline Cycles 515 Main St., 894-7885

FIRST Place: 3rd Generation Cleaners 1380 East Ave., 899-0333 Full-service “wet cleaning” specialists, these cleaners do alterations, pickup and delivery. One online reviewer sums up 3rd Generation’s popularity: “I live two towns away and happily drive to use them. Very nice counter people, good customer service, prompt service, and they clean and press my clothes beautifully.”

FIRST Place: Surf Thru Express Car Wash Two locations: 2470 Forest Ave., 801-6479; 2573 Esplanade, 774-2363 This year marks the fifth anniversary of the arrival of the fast-growing chain of Surf in Chico. The two local locations offer quick, full-service, watersaving washes, plus self-serve vacuums and a floor-mat-washing station.

THIRD Place: California Car Wash 150 Commercial Ave., 894-3017 HandConsignment/Second-Threads

The convenience-store chain now known as 7-Eleven started in 1927 as a little storefront of Southland Ice Company in Dallas. The 7-Eleven name didn’t come until after World War II, and the iconic Slurpee (the store’s version of the Icee drink) arrived in 1966. Today, there are more than 78,000 locations worldwide, including four stores in Chico.

Convenience Store

SECOND Place (tie): Organic Care of California (916) 476-5702

THIRD Place (tie): Sierra Market 1646 Park Ave., 342-4579

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 15 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

FIRST Place: Silhouette Waxing Studio 1803 Mangrove Ave., 342-7131 Silhouette opened the doors of its small Mangrove Avenue studio 15 years ago; since then, owner Courtney Spangler and her staff of estheticians have offered “efficient, comfortable and affordable” eyebrow grooming, facial fuzz removal and a range of waxing options. Upscale Consignment

LICENSE #0G55496 Chico 1368 Longfellow Ave530.342.6421Insurance & Risk Management Services for: Farms • Business • Life • Health • Home • Auto Oroville 2080 Myers St 530.533.3424 Willows 305 N. Culver Ave. (Lambert Insurance Agency) 530.934.3361 To us it’s not Learninsurance...it’sjustarelationship.moreatDahlmeier.com

THIRD Place: Joe Shaw Painting 891-5563

SECOND Place: Little Red Hen 897 E. 20th St., Ste. B, 897-0100

THIRD Place: Hanson & Hanson 343-9906

FIRST Place: S&S Organic Produce & Natural Foods 1924 Mangrove Ave., 343-4930 The one-time roadside produce stand is now an established full-service grocery—with an impressive selection of organic produce plus breads, wines, herbal supplements and a butcher shop.

SECOND Place: Society Style Lounge 627 Broadway, Ste. 120, 487-7066

THIRD Place (tie): Waxed – Skin & Waxing Boutique 225 Main St., Ste. F, (415) 994-7014

FIRST Place: Flowers by Rachelle 2485 Notre Dame Blvd., Ste. 260, 345-2661 This marks the 25th year that Flowers by Rachelle owner/namesake Rachelle Nyswonger-Neal has been making Chico’s weddings and other special occasions beautiful with gifts and fine floral arrangements.

SECOND Place: Slater & Son General Contractor 3753 Morehead Ave., 893-3333

THIRD Place: Wilbur’s Feed and Seed 139 Meyers St., 895-0569

FIRST Place: Hubbs & Co. 956 Mangrove Ave., 892-4940 The eclectic, ever-changing selection of not just gifts, but stationary, women’s fashion and home goods as well, has many customers calling Hubbs their “happy place.” Find everything from scented candles and garden flags to purses and gourmet foods.

FIRST Place: Da Capo Style House 1925 Market Place, 715-7183 This popular salon in the Meriam Park neighborhood offers cuts, styling, coloring and extensions in a beautiful space.

SECOND Place: Trader Joe’s 801 East Ave., Ste. 100, 343-9920

Grocer

SECOND Place: The Eyebrow Goddess 260 E. First St., 680-2569

Landscaper

FIRST Place: TrailBlazer Pet Supply 752 Mangrove Ave. & 1352 East Ave., 892-1848 At TrailBlazer, pets are the stars of the show, with grooming services and workshops focused on caring for and better understanding fur babies. Plus, the shelves at its two locations are stocked with a wide selection of foods, treats, toys and pet-care products.

SECOND Place: Upper Park Clothing 122 W. Third St., 487-7118

FIRST Place: Spike’s Bottle Shop 1270 E. First Ave., 893-8410 Spike’s owner Kevin Jaradah is committed to keeping his shelves stocked with interesting finds—from hard-to-find craft beers, ciders and whiskeys to the trendy libations such as premium canned cocktails— and Spike the shop dog is committed to keeping watch … unless he’s napping.

SECOND Place: Renée Michel & Joe Sweeney Sweeney & Michel, 196 Cohasset Road, Ste. 100, 487-1777

SECOND Place: Star Liquor 933 Nord Ave., 891-4842

THIRD Place: Chico Florist 1600 Mangrove Ave., Ste. 145 General Contractor

THIRD Place: Made in Chico 127 W. Third St., 894-7009

Financial Planner

THIRD Place: The Hair Co. 1229 E. Ninth St., 894-2002

THIRD Place: Men’s Wearhouse 1950 E. 20th St., Ste. 501, 342-1769 7-Eleven Chico Nissan Hyundai

Hair Salon

THIRD Place: Chico Natural Foods Co-Op 818 Main St., 891-1713

FIRST Place: Miste and Steve Cliadakis Altum Wealth Advisors, 1074 East Ave., Ste. T-1, 924-0110Misteand Steven Cliadakis’ team sets itself apart from large firms with a no-pressure approach that’s not beholden to proprietary products. They help clients achieve their individual financial goals—from retirement plans and investments to risk management and insurance—with an “objective, unbiased” advice.

THIRD Place: Barrett O. Benson Benson Wealth Management, 901 Bruce Road, Ste. 160, 891-0719 Florist

SECOND Place: Christian & Johnson 1098 E. First Ave., 891-1881

THIRD Place: Olde Gold Estate Jewelry 225 Main St., Ste. O, 891-4610

Insurance Agent

SECOND Place: Chico Pet Works & Pet Salon 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 186, 345-0934

House Cleaning Service

THIRD Place: Holt Construction 37 Bellermine Court, 899-1011

Liquor Store

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 17 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

THIRD Place: Cleaned to Perfection 520-6465 House Painter FIRST Place: Hawkes Painting 521-5237JohnHawkes’ work must speak for itself: Beyond a sign on the side of his truck, he doesn’t go out of his way to promote his business, yet he’s made an impression on customers who’ve voted him Chico’s best for the second year in a row.

FIRST Place: Proframe Construction 11128 Midway, Ste. 3, 636-4574 Proframe has been building just about everything— custom homes, rebuilds, patio covers and more— since it opened for business in 2008.

FIRST Place: Kirk’s Jewelry 246 W. Third St., Jeweler/metalsmith891-0880KirkBengtson opened shop in downtown Chico in 1973 in a small second-story space. He soon expanded, moving down Third Street to a corner store at Salem, where Kirk’s Jewelry became a fixture—acclaimed especially for custommade engagement and wedding rings. Dazzling earring, pendants and rings make the cases like a museum display.

FIRST Place: Vega Landscape & Irrigation 514-3972Gotaswimming pool that’s too demanding to keep up? Isaias Vega and crew can convert it to a garden with water feature. Vega Landscape & Irrigation also can update a current yard, start from scratch with a fresh concept and replace irrigation with waterconserving sprinklers.

Gift Shop

FIRST Place: 2econd Life 641 Nord Ave., Ste. B, 466-6966 How dope can you really be if your wardrobe doesn’t include some vintage basketball shoes and a pair of Bape glow-in-the-dark shark shorts? Follow @we_the_best_thrift on Instagram to stay up on the latest finds.

SECOND Place: Eddy Rodriguez (State Farm) 45 Jan Court, Ste. 165, 899-0100

SECOND Place: C Bar D Feeds 3388 Hwy 32, 342-5361

THIRD Place: Joni Ginno (State Farm) 1915 Esplanade, 891-5881 Jeweler

SECOND Place: Dawson Landscaping 343-0384

THIRD Place: Northern Star Mills 510 Esplanade, 342-7661 Men’s Clothier

SECOND Place: Deb’s Detailed Cleaning 570-3561

SECOND Place: Julianne’s 1925 Market Place, Ste. 120, 342-3117

THIRD Place (tie): European Wax Center 728 Mangrove Ave., Ste. B, 433-4003

FIRST Place: Northern Star Mills 510 Esplanade, 342-7661 Since 1898, Chicoans have trusted Northern Star Mills with their farming needs, especially when it comes to their animals. That’s because the store—operating at its location across from Bidwell Mansion since 1933—stocks everything from dog and cat food to poultry and cattle feed. Northern Star Mills also carries fertilizer, soil and seeds for the garden.

SECOND Place: SM Painting 321-1592

FIRST Place: C&A Cleaning 514-7738Established in 2008, C&A Cleaning offers residential and office cleaning services (including window washing!) using “environmentally friendly products, equipment and systems.”

THIRD Place (tie): Angel’s Nails & Spa 965 Nord Ave., Ste. 100-A, 487-7322

FIRST Place: Heritage Insurance Agency 290 Airpark Blvd., 894-3276 Heritage Insurance has operated as an independent agency since 1978. Steve and Kelly Mora head a team with expertise spanning agribusiness, commercial accounts, personal insurance, employee benefits and workers’ compensation.

THIRD Place: Mangrove Bottle Shop 1350 Mangrove Ave., Ste. 160, 342-7575 Local Pet Store

Feed Store/Farm Supply

Furniture

SECOND Place (tie): Perfection Pools & Spa 172 E. 20th St., 895-0437 Pet Groomer

The lot at Sierra Steel Harley-Davidson on Mangrove Avenue is the unofficial gathering spot for Chico’s motorcycling enthusiasts, and the attached shop is the official home of the king of American road bikes.

SECOND Place: Ozzie’s BMW Center 2438 Cohasset Road, 345-4462

FIRST Place: Angels Nails & Spa 965 Nord Ave., Ste. 100-A, 487-7322 See Best Day Spa.

custom pieces but instead

THIRD Place: Pure Gold Studio 250 Vallombrosa Ave., Ste. 560, 804-2722

Decor 1341

The folks at Patio Pros build everything from pergolas to sun rooms to help Chicoans make the outside of their home as comfortable as the inside.

FIRST Place: The Bookstore 118 Main St., 345-7441 The wood-floored, overfilled Bookstore is warm, inviting and a foundational part of what it means to many to be a Chicoan. There’s a wide range of used and new books, with impressive selections of children’s books, cookbooks, history, gardening, religious, art books and classic literature. The Bookstore is a Chico institution.

THIRD Place: ABC Books 950 Mangrove Ave., 893-4342 Place To Buy Home

lot of

FIRST Place: Carol’s Dog Grooming 975 East Ave., Ste. 160, 343-1554 Sixty years of grooming Chico’s pooches?!? Some locals have been customers of Carol’s Dog Grooming for their whole lives—and for multiple pets’ lives. That kind of loyalty is earned with decades of skill, patience and love for the dogs of Chico.

THIRD Place: Coature Pet Spa 1411 Mangrove Ave., 899-8433

SECOND Place: Best Buy 2005 Forest Ave., 566-1012

FIRST Place: Esplanade Furniture Esplanade, 891-4788 Owner Dan Moser opened Esplanade 40 years ago and specialized in building a the sold at the store. The shop no longer cranks out its own showcases a of American-made including

THIRD Place: Magnolia Downtown 830 Broadway, 809-4196

895-1038 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 Sierra Steel Harley-Davidson 2201 Pillsbury Rd, #100 • 530-345-8862 • Delivery Minimum $30 Open all Holidays, closed Tuesdays $5 OFF $30 OR MORE Dine In or Take Out Only No other discounts, expires 9/30/22NowOpenRoomDining Authentic Chinese Cuisine2019-2021 Panthera Exotics 530-433-6483 | TICA RegisteredBENGALCatteryCATS A Leopard For Your Couch Well Trained Kittens Available

THIRD Place: Chico Motorsports 1538 Park Ave., 345-5247 New (non-foodBusinessservice)

SECOND Place: Eye of Jade 1238 Mangrove Ave., 343-5233

18 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

THIRD Place: PCI Computer Services 225 Main St., 891-4152 Place To Buy Books

1750

FIRST Place: Patio Pros 11128 Midway, Ste. 3, 924-6400

Nursery

Motorcycle Dealer

SECOND Place: Mutt Cuts 2991 Esplanade, Ste. 130, 592-3156

SECOND Place: Magnolia Gift & Garden Center 1367 East Ave., 894-5410

unfinished-wood items

THIRD Place: Lily’s Nails & Spa 208 W. East Ave., Ste. E, 898-8765 Place For Electronics/ Computer Repair

SECOND Place: Finds Design & Mangrove Ave., 892-1905

Furnishings

THIRD Place: Nantucket St.,

SECOND Place (tie): Lowes 2350 Forest Ave., 895-5130

THIRD Place: Little Red Hen Nursery 189 E. 8th St., 891-9100 Outdoor Living(patios, pools, etc.)

bedroom furniture, dining tables, cabinets and more.

unfinished wood pieces,

FIRST Place: SkyLab Nails & Spa 611 Walnut St., 518-6908 Did Chico need another nail salon? There are a lot of hands here, so why not?!? SkyLab’s online reviews suggest that the year-old shop is already making its mark, with one online commentator saying, “[I] love the bright, clean and friendly atmosphere. All work done professionally and to perfection. So happy to have found my favorite nail place.”

SECOND Place: Love Skate Shop 1380 East Ave., Ste. 100, 809-0689

Piercing Studio

FIRST Place: The Plant Barn & Gifts 406 Entler Ave., 345-3121 Open since 1980, the Plant Barn is the longest-running nursery in Chico. Denise Kelly and Rolf Weidhofer have owned it since 2006 and have expanded the operation into a veritable nursery theme park, with sprawling grounds of vegetable starts; plants and trees of all types; and a wide range of garden art and other plant-related gifts and supplies.

variety

Place For A Mani/Pedi

Design & Home 603 Broadway

FIRST Place: Sierra Steel HarleyDavidson 1501 Mangrove Ave., 893-1918

FIRST Place: Chico Computer Clinic 1450 Mangrove Ave., Ste. 140, 636-1337 The “on-call nerds” of Chico Computer Clinic specialize in computer repair, cleaning and upgrade installation. The work is done fast, too, with average turnaround being less than 24 hours.

SECOND Place: Barnes & Noble 2031 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, 8941494

SECOND Place: SkyLab Nails & Spa 611 Walnut St., 518-6908

FIRST Place: Red Room Tattoo 231 Nord Ave., 342-1287 Septum? Belly button? Whatever body part body is getting outfitted, Red Room’s well-trained piercers have it covered with experience and quality hardware. The studio advertises that all its jewelry is ethically sourced, “American made, implant-grade titanium, steel and solid gold.”

THIRD Place: Chico Roofing Co. 3030 Thorntree Drive, Ste. 2, 892-9071 RV Rentals

SECOND Place (tie): R&M Trailer Rentals 895-1794

THIRD Place: Royal Aire Heating, Air Conditioning & Solar 2530 Zanella Way, 899-9999

ManagementProperty

SECOND Place (tie): North Valley Tree Service 893-9649 SECOND Place (tie): About Trees 343-4533 Wedding/Event Planner

Place To Buy Outdoor Gear

SECOND Place: CES Weddings & Events 592-0728 THIRD Place: The 530 Bride 988-8344 Window Treatments

PhotographerProfessional

Reptile Store

Sporting Goods

SECOND Place: Chico Sports Ltd. 698 Mangrove Ave., 894-1110

THIRD Place: Blue Oak Property Management 2889 Cohasset Road, Ste. 5, 636-2627

SECOND Place: Goodwill 765 East Ave., Ste. 100, 893-8578

FIRST Place: Happy Camper RV Rentals 329 Southgate Ave., 321-8180 Like many RVers, Matt Dunckel and his family started their adventures in nature as tent campers. However, after experiencing the ease of execution in hitching up a camp trailer and just heading out, he started Happy Camper RV Rentals, offering hitch trailers of all sizes as well as small-scale motorhomes for rent.

THIRD Place: Thrifty Bargain 2432 Esplanade, 774-2158 Tree Service

SECOND Place: The Hignell Companies 1750 Humboldt Road, 576-5376

FIRST Place: Tree of Eden 513-6574JoshuaGuy worked as a wildland firefighter for years before starting Tree of Eden Tree Services, where he specializes in limbing, trimming, removals, fire-fuel breaks, lot clearing and general tree maintenance.

FIRST Place: The Outlet 232 Broadway, 999-2254 The Lulus website (lulus.com) is one of this area’s local-business success stories, selling women’s clothing all over the world. In Chico, we’re especially spoiled by getting a brick-and-mortar discount brand-name outlet to visit in real life, where the prices range from $4 to $40.

THIRD Place: Sportsman’s Warehouse 765 East Ave., Ste. 170, 897-0500

FIRST Place: Alternative Energy Systems 13620 Hwy 99, 345-6980 This locally owned business brings the resources, materials and manpower of a national company to the projects for solar systems and battery storage that keep local residential and commercial properties in power.

SECOND Place (tie): Mike Friend RVs 2933 Esplanade, 343-0245 Shoe Store

SECOND Place: Urban Design Solar 4742 Skyway, 809-1079

FIRST Place: Budget Blinds 2525 Dominic Drive, Ste. C, 343-3400 Local owners Tim and Kim Long have been consulting on and installing window treatments in Butte County and beyond for 15-plus years, and they pride themselves on detail-oriented customer service.

SECOND Place: Chico Pet Works & Pet Salon 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 186, 345-0934

FIRST Place: Madsen Properties 2607 Forest Ave., 570-6192 Alicia Madsen is licensed real estate broker whose Madsen Properties oversees the management of a variety of single-family homes, apartments, townhouses and duplexes in Butte County.

THIRD Place: Able Plumbing 551 Country Drive, Ste. 150, 899-9009

Real Estate Agent

FIRST Place: Arc Store 2020 Park Ave., 343-3666 The huge Arc Store is packed with a wellorganized, clean selection of clothing, jewelry, toys, weird nick-nacks, furniture and sweaters (ugly and not) for your holiday parties. Bonus: All proceeds fund a good cause—services for developmentally disabled people.

SECOND Place: Nantucket Design & Home 603 Broadway St., 895-1038

SECOND Place: Accurate Plumbing 2288 Park Ave., Ste. A, 894-1800

SECOND Place: For Elyse 228 Broadway, 893-0106 THIRD Place: 5th Street Clothing Co. 328 Broadway St., 345-5754

Roofer

FIRST Place (tie): Powell & Sons Roofing 43 Norfield Ave., Ste. 4, 892-1410Frompatching the smallest leak to a full roof construction, Powell & Sons Roofing provides both residential and commercial service.

FIRST Place: North State Events 801-1275OwnerAshley Smith’s North State Events will take care of just about any special occasion: weddings, of course, but also bridal showers, corporate parties, reunions and any other celebrations. “Tell me what your vision is, and I’ll make it a reality,” she says. “I will take care of even the tiniest elements, so you can enjoy your event as much as your guests.”

FIRST Place (tie): Baird Roofing 11025 Midway, 342-1631 Owner Michael Baird’s company covers residential homes and commercial buildings, doing everything from attic ventilation and skylights to new roofs in a variety of materials.

THIRD Place: Big 5 Sporting Goods 1717 Mangrove Ave., Ste. C, 891-1545

FIRST Place: Nor Cal Reptile Adventures 43 Dacy Ave., 228-5011 In addition to selling reptiles and reptile supplies, Nor Cal Reptile Adventures owners Kenni and David Huff also sell, well, adventures. Locals can hire them out to bring lizards, snakes and a gigantic turtle to birthday parties, school and other special events.

FIRST Place: Heel & Sole Shoes 708 Mangrove Ave., 899-0725 Funky boots, swanky high heels, easy-breezy flipflops and classic canvas sneakers—Heel & Sole is packed to the ceiling, literally, with seemingly endless boxes of every style of footwear.

Tattoo Parlor

FIRST Place: Sabrina Chevallier (RE/MAX) 1834 Mangrove Ave., 718-9115 RE/Max agent Sabrina Chevallier is perennially voted the Best Realtor in Chico. What puts the born-andraised Chicoan over the top is her personable, friendly communication style as she stays in frequent contact while going above and beyond for her clients.

Plumber FIRST Place: Earl’s Performance Plumbing 2264 Park Ave., 343-0330 Earl’s Performance Plumbing techs arrive in fully stocked vans, answering calls 24/7 to fix everything from water and sewer lines to pumps and water heaters. For more than two decades, Earl’s has kept Chico’s pipes in order.

THIRD Place: Kelsey Wakefield (RE/MAX) 1834 Mangrove Ave., 518-6609

THIRD Place: Killer Clutches

The Outlet Sabrina Chevallier (RE/MAX) 44 Rock Creek Road, (310) 993-5459

SECOND Place: 2econd Life 641 Nord Ave., Ste. B, 466-6966

20 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

THIRD Place: Miller Glass 745 Cherry St., 343-7934 Women’s Clothier

SECOND Place: Ashley Carlascio hello@ashleycarlascio.com

SECOND Place: Dick’s Sporting Goods 1922 E. 20th St., 343-3351

Thrift Store

READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

SECOND Place: Danielle Branham (Century 21) 1101 El Monte Ave., 570-8402

SECOND Place (tie): Eye of Jade 1238 Mangrove Ave., 343-5233

FIRST Place: Mountain Sports 176 E. Third St., 345-5011 Chico is perfectly situated for outdoor adventures. The Sierra Nevada mountains, Cascade range and Bidwell Park are all in our back yard, and Mountain Sports is here to outfit local outdoor enthusiasts with clothing, footwear, equipment and accessories for whatever adventure awaits along the trails.

THIRD Place: Park Avenue Photography 521-4340

FIRST Place: Chico Sports Ltd. 698 Mangrove Ave., 894-1110 For 37 years, this locally owned institution has offered a warehouse-sized selection of essentials for camping, hiking, cycling, backpacking, running, yoga, swimming, snowboarding, disc golf and more.

SECOND Place (tie): Red Room Tattoo 231 Nord Ave., 342-1287

FIRST Place: Erin Lackey Photography 370-3597ErinLackey specializes in taking special memories out of the digital realm by making thispeopleyoutiquegiveSheportraitscustom-designedtohangonawall.sayssheis“readytoyouafully-cateredbou-experiencethatgivesuniqueartpiecesoftheyoulovethemostinworld.”

THIRD Place: Fleet Feet 241 Main St., 345-1000 Solar Company

FIRST Place: Tanner Drake Tattoo Studio 250 Vallombrosa Ave., Ste. 560, 965-5842 There are so many Chico tattoo studios with talented artists that receive votes from loyal customers for Best of Chico. This year, rising to the top of the pack is the Tanner Drake Tattoo Studio. One of many positive reviews: “I recently got a tattoo from Tanner and had an amazing experience! He is very professional, made me feel super comfortable in the shop, and was fast, precise and just an overall talented artist!”

Bite!TheTheFightButteMosquito.com• AVOID DAWN AND DUSK • DRAIN STANDING WATER • WEAR REPELLENT

22 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 distinct signature flavors that can be slathered on just about anything on the menu, from the mouth-watering pork ribs to shredded pork, beef or chicken sandwiches to the crave-worthy tri-tip salad.

Brunch

SECOND Place: Tin Roof Bakery 637 Broadway, Ste. 170, 892-2893

Burrito

FIRST Place: Ginger’s Restaurant 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 100, 345-8862 Huge portions of Chinese restaurant standards, served by an attentive staff, make Ginger’s a local go-to spot. Fast and friendly service during the pandemic has made the restaurant a popular choice for to-go orders as well (see Best Takeout/Curbside and Best Delivery).

Concession stands—all you can eat!

SECOND Place: Morning Thunder Cafe 352 Vallombrosa Ave., 342-9717

READERS’PICKS2022

Food & Drink

THIRD Place: Bootleg BBQ 1184 East Ave., 521-3284

THIRD Place: Burger Hut Two locations: 3211 Cohasset Road, 342-4555; 2451 Forest Ave., 891-1430

Burger

Bakery

SECOND Place: Mom’s Restaurant 209 Salem St., 893-3447

FIRST Place: Smokin’ Mo’s BBQ 131 Broadway, 891-6677 At Smokin’ Mo’s, the secret is in the sauces—four featuring everything from Benedicts to chickenand-waffles.

FIRST Place: Nash’s Restaurant 1717 Esplanade, 896-1147 Nash’s always serves up a mean breakfast—but on the weekends, it takes things a step further with bottomless bubbly alongside its huge morning menu,

FIRST Place: Cafe Coda 265 Humboldt Ave., (530) 566-9476 Chilaquiles? Pork belly Benedict? Yes, please! Cafe Coda’s inventive menu filled with Mexican/American/ farm-fresh fusion breakfasts draws the crowds to the outskirts of downtown. Now open seven days a week and featuring a beautiful outdoor patio.

SECOND Place: Kinder’s BBQ 1369 East Ave., 342-3354

FIRST Place: Aca Taco Two locations: 133 Broadway, 894-0191; 1000 W. Sacramento Ave., Ste. D, 343-0909 In Chico, you can get a real fight arguing over who makes the best burrito. There are as many opinions as there are food trucks, taquerias and sit-down Mexican restaurants. Aca Taco could

THIRD Place: Cafe Coda 265 Humboldt Ave., 566-9476

Asian Cuisine

Barbecue

THIRD Place: Lovely Layers Cakery 131 Meyers St., 828-9931

SECOND Place: Cocodine Thai Cuisine 2845 Notre Dame Blvd., Ste. 250, 891-1800

New Clairvaux Vineyard Breakfast

FIRST Place: Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe 130 Main St., 895-3866 Upper Crust has been a downtown Chico staple for decades, but these days it might be best known for … vegetarian chili? The word “cafe” is in the name, after all, and Guy Fieri himself gave the dish a stamp of approval on his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show. The downtown icon has a full menu of savory lunchtime faves in addition to its wedding cakes and case full of pastries.

SECOND Place: Nobby’s 1444 Park Ave., 342-2285

FIRST Place: Burgers and Brew 301 Broadway, 879-9100 One of Burgers and Brew’s big burgers not only delivers a fine half-pound slab of Niman Ranch beef; there’s also the bun, which soaks up savory juices by the time it reaches the table. It’s two meals in one. Add a side of fries—regular, curly or sweet potato—and it’s three meals. That’s before selecting one of the craft-beer choices from the seemingly endless line of taps … or, for the designated driver, hard-to-find Abita root beer.

THIRD Place: Happy Garden Restaurant 1880 Cohasset Road, 893-2574

THIRD Place: Mom’s Restaurant 209 Salem St., 893-3447

15 1715 17 13 13 18 18 19 19 16 16 21 21 Thank You Chico!Chico! CELEBRATING 22 YEARS Reservations–5thstreetsteakhouse.com

THIRD Place: Italian Cottage 2234 Esplanade, 343-7000 Local BreweryRegional FIRST Place: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 1075 E. 20th St., 893-3520 If your beers are considered among the finest on the entire planet, it’s safe to say your brewery will be looked upon favorably, if not reverently, on your home turf. Chicoans adore Sierra Nevada and its community-minded approach to creating great beer.

SECOND Place: Morning Thunder Cafe 352 Vallombrosa Ave., 342-9717

Multiple locations

THIRD Place: Crush 201 Broadway, Ste. 200, 342-7000 Food Server

SECOND Place: Ginger’s Restaurant 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 100, 345-8862

THIRD Place: In-N-Out Burger 2050 Business Lane, (800) 786-1000 Chef

24 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 make a stand against all comers, however, as its oversized burritos hold onto the title for the eighth straight year.

FIRST Place: Ann Leon (Canyon Oaks Country Club) 999 Yosemite Drive, 343-2582 Chef Ann Leon made a name for herself locally with her former restaurant, Leon Bistro, where she won over Chico with Mediterranean-influenced dishes and frequent cooking classes. Leon now creates feasts at Canyon Oaks Country Club, where she’s been the executive chef since December.

THIRD Place: The Roost Cafe 1144 Park Ave., 892-1281 Fine Dining

SECOND Place: Gordo Burrito 1295 E. 8th St., 809-1211

FIRST Place: 5th Street Steakhouse 345 W. Fifth St., 891-6328 The answer to the “I feel like a steak” craving in Chico is 5th Street Steakhouse. The perennial fine dining champ is a local icon (see also, Best Local Restaurant), a favorite destination for special-occasion splurges and regular-occasion beef hankerings.

THIRD Place: La Flor de Michoacan Paletería y Nevería Multiple locations

THIRD Place: Grana Wood Fired Foods 198 E. Second St., 809-2304 Local Restaurant –Oroville

THIRD Place: Special Times Catering 2500 Floral Ave., Ste. 10, 865-4866 Cheap Eats FIRST Place: La Comida 954 Mangrove Ave., 345-2254 The lines out the door don’t lie. For more than 50 years, this institution of institutions has served gut-busting plates of Mexican food to generations of Chico families at very affordable prices.

SECOND Place: Cocodine Thai 2845 Notre Dame Blvd., Ste. 250, 891-1800

The Union is still killing it! This spot in historic downtown Oroville, featuring one of the most beautiful patios in the county, serves up decadent elevated pub fare, cocktails and a wide variety of live music.

SECOND Place: Aca Taco Two locations: 133 Broadway, 894-0191; 1000 W. Sacramento Ave., Ste. D, 343-0909

THIRD Place: Tacos Mary 429 Ivy St., 892-8176 Caterer FIRST Place: Bacio Catering 1903 Park Ave., 345-7787 For anyone who’s attended a local wedding or work party, odds are Bacio was probably there. Owner Erika Montanez’s business is the go-to catering company in town, feeding Chico revelers with creative, fresh-made and beautifully presented spreads.

THIRD Place: Jason Colabove (Crush) 201 Broadway, Ste. 200, 342-7000 Craft Beer Selection

SECOND Place: Entree Express chicoentreeexpess.com

FIRST Place: Myah Firch – Mom’s Restaurant Though she left the restaurant this summer, Myah Firch made a big impression on her customers and Mom’s, which marked her six years at the downtown brunch spot with a glowing farewell on its Facebook page.

THIRD Place: Drunken Dumpling 1414 Park Ave., 774-2173 Italian Cuisine

THIRD Place: Door Dash doordash.com Diner

FIRST Place: Cozy Diner 1695 Mangrove Ave., 895-1195 Whether it’s breakfast at suppertime or a broasted chicken at lunch, Cozy Diner serves an extensive menu of down-home comfort food 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

SECOND Place: Red Tavern 1250 Esplanade, 894-3463

SECOND Place: Crush 201 Broadway, Ste. 200, 342-7000

SECOND Place: Daycamp Coffee 1925 Market Place, Ste. 150, 636-4283

FIRST Place: Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy 178 E. Seventh St., 342-7163 Nothing paints a nostalgic picture of Chico like a summer-evening hangout on the benches in front of Shubert’s, the ice cream and candy shop that’s been in business since 1938.

International Cuisine

FIRST Place: 5th Street Steakhouse 345 W. Fifth St., 891-6328 See Best Fine Dining.

FIRST Place: Union Patio Bar & Grill 2053 Montgomery St., Oroville, 693-4388

SECOND Place: Butte Creek BBQ 14 W. Eaton Road, Ste. 160, 990-0023

SECOND Place: Josh Smith – The Rawbar

SECOND Place: James Taylor (Sicilian Cafe) 1020 Main St., 345-2233

FIRST Place: Ginger’s Restaurant 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 100, 345-8862 See Best Asian Cuisine.

THIRD Place: Bidwell Perk 664 W. First Ave., 899-1500 Local Restaurant – Chico

THIRD Place: Ethan’s Eatery 2275 Myers St., Oroville, 854-4348 La Comida Sicilian Cafe

SECOND Place: Tong Fong Low 2051 Robinson St., Oroville, 533-1488

THIRD Place: Farmers Brewing Co. 1950 Market Place, 982-2016

THIRD Place: Secret Trail Brewing Co. 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120, 487-8151 Delivery

FIRST Place: Priya Indian Cuisine 2574 Esplanade, 899-1055 To say that Priya is a staple of the local food scene is an understatement. The impressive menu features both north and south Indian dishes, and the exceedingly popular lunch buffet is just plain irresistible.

FIRST Place: Stoble Coffee 418 Broadway, 513-5547 Stoble has made a name for itself quickly, serving up fine house-roasted coffee and wonderful baked goodies (courtesy of Camina Bakery) in a gorgeous, expansive space that includes a rooftop patio.

FIRST Place: The Chico Taproom 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 114, 774-2943 The Chico Taproom has become the hub of an Almond Orchard scene that includes fellow Best of winners Ginger’s (Best Asian Cuisine) and El Guayacan Mexican Restaurant (Best Mexican Cuisine), both of which can be enjoyed at the beer bar that allows outside food to go along with its 40 taps of craft beer focused on West Coast breweries.

SECOND Place: Secret Trail Brewing Co. 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120, 487-8151

Local Coffee House

SECOND Place: Jon & Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe

THIRD Place: Amanda Blankenship – Deja Vu Breakfast Company Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt

SECOND Place: The Commons Social Empourium 2412 Park Ave., 774-2999

FIRST Place: Sicilian Cafe 1020 Main St., 345-2233 Part of what makes the Sicilian Cafe’s food so perfect is consistency. Chef James Taylor has been at the stove in South Chico for 38 years! Soon, though, the local favorites—Calamari Originale, Chicken Americana—will be created in a bigger downtown location (with a full bar!) when the restaurant makes a big move in the coming months.

SECOND Place: Broadway Heights 300 Broadway, 899-8075

Local Winery – Regional

SECOND Place: Almendra Winery & Distillery 925 Midway, Durham, 343-6893

SECOND Place: GRUB CSA Farm 11630 Dairy Road, 680-4543

THIRD Place: Aca Taco Two locations: 133 Broadway, 894-0191; 1000 W. Sacramento Ave., Ste. D, 343-0909

THIRD Place: Spiteri’s Deli 971 East Ave., 891-4797 Mexican Cuisine

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 25

THIRD Place: LaRocca Vineyards 12360 Doe Mill Road, Forest Ranch, 899-9463

Lunch FIRST Place: Tea Bar & Fusion Cafe Two locations: 250 Vallombrosa Ave., 895-8100; 555 Flying V St., Ste. 1, 809-1545 Both Chico locations of Tea Bar (also in Sacramento and Redding) are regularly packed for lunch by folks who want hearty, healthful meals, which the menu of wraps and bowls provides. Oh, and there’s tea! Lots of teas!

FIRST Place: New Clairvaux Vineyard 26240 7th St., Vina, 839-2200 The winery/vineyard within the Vina monastery celebrated the recent harvest with the annual Blessing of the Grapes ceremony in July, and New Clairvaux also is celebrating the success of its wines. Between its own portfolio and the collection of its sister line, Aimée Wines, a dozen varieties have received a score of 90 or more in competitions. A box with the whole dozen is now available for purchase.

Locally Produced Food –Regional

THIRD Place: Chico Chai 1919 Park Ave., 897-0822

FIRST Place: Live Life Juice Co. 220 Broadway, 566-3346; 2279 Springfield Drive, Ste. 150, 809-2635 Freshly squeezed, 100 percent organic, in-season fruit and vegetable juices: the recipe for success in Chico. Live Life is available at local farmers’ markets, online and at two local shops—including a new location at Meriam Park.

FIRST Place: El Guayacan Mexican Restaurant 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 124, 893-3777 El Guayacan is the place for sit-down Mexican food in North Chico. Nestled in the heart of the Almond Orchard shopping center, its relaxed vibe and big plates of nearly every classic dish available have online reviewers raving: “We have tried about everything on the menu and it is all delicious! Our go to: chicken enchiladas with beans and rice. You cannot go wrong!”

SECOND Place: La Hacienda 2635 Esplanade, 893-8270

READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 Live Life Juice Co. 21 Thank You to our Patrons! We appreciate your business and support. $5 OFF your purchase of $30 or more Offer good through September 30, 2022 FOOD TO GO! Closed Monday HAPPY GARDEN CHINESE RESTAURANT 530-893-2574 530-893-5068 180 Cohasset Rd • www.HappyGardenChico.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES OPEN EVERY DAY AT 2PM IN THE ALMOND ORCHARD AT 2201 PILLSBURY RD #114, CHICO 40 taps of Craft Beer from Nor Cal & West Coast Breweries. Fraud Alert Important message to all area businesses, CN&R advertisers and potential winners in CN&R’s 2022 Best of Chico competition: CN&R will never contact a person or business with intentions to sell a Best of Chico winner’s plaque. Any company attempting to do so is NOT associated with the Chico News & Review or the Best of Chico contest. 22

SECOND Place: Japanese Blossoms 2995 Esplanade, Ste. 104, 891-9022

THIRD Place: Tea Bar & Fusion Cafe Two locations: 250 Vallombrosa Ave., 895-8100; 555 Flying V St., Ste. 1, 809-1545 Vegetarian Cuisine

SECOND Place: Live Life Juice Co. 220 Broadway, 566-3346

THIRD Place: The Banshee 134 W. Second St. Pizza FIRST Place: Celestino’s New York Pizza 101 Salem St., 896-1234; and 1354 East Ave., Ste. 5, Celestino’s345-7700original location in downtown Chico opened in 1997, and the restaurant’s thin crust, Big Apple-style pies have been a local favorite ever since. Popular pizzas—sold by the slice or whole pie—include the meaty Tom Jones, the vegetarian Godfather and Celestino’s jalapeno-adorned take on a classic Hawaiian, Oscar’s Spicy Luau.

THIRD Place: Red Tavern 1250 Esplanade, 894-3463 Pho FIRST Place: Pho C&C 3211 Cohasset Road, Ste. 110, 892-1415. Pho—the Vietnamese noodle soup of broth, meat, vegetables and herbs—is a thing of beauty. The gorgeous, fresh ingredients at Pho C&C are especially fetching, aromatic and tasty, a great complement to the rest of the simple menu of grilled meats and egg rolls.

THIRD Place: J’s Tacos and Beer 900 Cherry St., 717-6300

SECOND Place: La Salles 229 Broadway, 487-7207

26 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 Munchies

Two locations: 275 E. Park Ave.; Esplanade & Tonea Way With trucks on the north and south ends of town, El Pinolero is always near. The menu is diverse; standout fare includes the perfectly prepared carnitas tacos topped with onions and cilantro. What makes the little pork nuggets even tastier is the sauce, a red concoction that has just the right amount of spice.

SECOND Place: Gordo Burrito Eighth & Pine streets

FIRST Place: Midnite Munchies 234 W. Third St., Midnite Munchies started in 2010 as a late-night snack-delivery service, moved into the kiosk in the Nord Safeway center in 2019 and as of this past May is slinging its cookies, cheesecakes and other treats from a new spot in downtown Chico. midnite-munchies.com

Patio FIRST Place: The Pour House 855 East Ave., Ste. 270, 893-3000 With its Jumbotron-sized TV and outdoor bar, the lively Pour House patio is the place to be when a big game is on.

THIRD Place: The Redwood Sandwich Co. 1354 East Ave., Ste. U, 965-5293

THIRD Place: Insomnia Cookies 305 Main St., 364-5220 New (openedEateryinlast year)

FIRST Place: Ginger’s Restaurant 2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 100, 345-8862 See Best Asian Cuisine.

SECOND Place: Fast Eddie’s Sandwich Shop 1175 East Ave., 342-8558

FIRST Place: Spiteri’s Deli 971 East Ave., 891-4797 Spiteri’s might be kind of a “hidden gem,” tucked into an out-of-the-way strip mall on the north side of Highway 99, but the longstanding local icon has been around for 44 years. Huge, traditional sandwiches served with a wide selection of deli sides have made this shop a Chico institution.

READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Pho C&C

Sandwich

FIRST Place: Deja Vu Breakfast Company 3221 Esplanade, 287-5660 Opening a new restaurant is a challenge during the best of times, but opening during a pandemic would seem impossible. Owner Christian Griffith and his Deja Vu Breakfast Company have seemed to defy the odds, capturing Chico’s imagination and packing its dining room with breakfast/brunch-lovers taken with their creative take—everything from cookies-and-cream pancakes to chorizo-andcheese waffles.

SECOND Place: Crumbl Cookies 855 East Ave., Ste. 220, 230-9361

SECOND Place: Om on the Range 301 Main St., 487-8150

SECOND Place: Vietnam Bistro 788 East Ave., 433-7108

FIRST Place: Aca Taco Two locations: 133 Broadway, 894-0191; 1000 W. Sacramento Ave., Ste. D, 343-0909 See Best Burrito.

Takeout/Curbside

THIRD Place: Gnarly Deli 243 S. Second St., 433-4415

Taco

THIRD Place: Farm Star Pizza 2359 Esplanade, 343-2056

FIRST Place: Om on the Range 301 Main St., 487-8150 Chico’s favorite vegetarian restaurant has grown again, in size and in name. OM Foods is in a new downtown spot under the banner of Om on the Range. The local staple still specializes in fresh, organic and GMO-free foods, with a menu that is largely meat-free—now with more room in its corner spot. Another addition: a packed calendar of live dance-friendly music.

THIRD Place: Priya Indian Cuisine 2574 Esplanade, 899-1055 Deja Vu Breakfast Company

SECOND Place: La Hacienda 2635 Esplanade, 893-8270

THIRD Place: Gnarly Deli Locations vary (facebook.com/gnarlydeli)

Sushi

SECOND Place: Woodstock’s Pizza 240 Main St., 893-1500

Street Food FIRST Place: Tacos El Pinolero

SECOND Place: Aztlan Two locations: 1645 Park Ave., 487-7062; 2599 Esplanade, 965-5984

FIRST Place: Big Tuna Sushi Bistro 1722 Mangrove Ave., Ste. 18, 345-4571 Yes, Big Tuna is a sushi joint, and the award here is for Best Sushi, but feast on this: the Japanese taco, with a choice of crab mix, spicy tuna, avocado or tofu in a tempura eggplant shell with sriracha, spicy mayo and cheese. Of course, Big Tuna has all the nigiri, rolls and sashimi anyone could want, with chefs who love to get creative.

THIRD Place: The Rawbar 346 Broadway, 897-0626

SECOND Place: Feather Falls Casino 3 Alverda Dr., Oroville, 533-3885

28 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Mary’s the way their mom made them. Er, wait, maybe that’s potato salad. Regardless, Mom’s offers the beloved libation four different ways, including classic and cucumber-heavy versions.

The low-key, swanky atmosphere inside Argus Bar + Patio is just about perfect, and the back patio, with its vine-covered stone walls and wide-open seating, is even better. Also a favorite live venue for an eclectic range of local and visiting musicians.

North State Ballet

THIRD Place: Unwined Kitchen & Bar 980 Mangrove Ave., 809-2634

THIRD Place: The Banshee 134 W. Second St.

SECOND Place: Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA) 900 Esplanade, 487-7272

PHOTO BY KEN PORDES (from fine cuisine to Fatburger) and kick-ass live entertainment at its Obsidian Spirits Amphitheater.

FIRST Place: North State Ballet 2400 Notre Dame Blvd., 774-2364 In addition to intensive, professional-level training for future prima ballerinas, North State Ballet offers lessons and programs for dancers of all ages and skill levels. It’s not just ballet, either, as the studio also offers opportunities to learn styles ranging from acro (acrobatic dance) to hip-hop to tap.

FIRST Place: The Pour House 855 East Ave., Ste. 270, 893-3000 If you want to get into semantics, then The Pour House should win for best happy hours; the place offers two separate multi-hour happy times, 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. until closing, featuring discounts on drinks and appetizers.

FIRST Place: Mom’s Restaurant 209 Salem St., 893-3447 They say that people always prefer their Bloody

Bar FIRST Place: Argus Bar + Patio 212 W. Second St., 332-9914

SECOND Place: Duffy’s Tavern 337 Main St., 343-7718

FIRST Place: 1078 Gallery 1710 Park Ave., 630-7522

Art Space

THIRD Place: La Salles 229 Broadway, 487-7207 Local Music Act

SECOND Place: Hype Dance Studio 1033 Mangrove Ave., 898-8789

SECOND Place: Crush 201 Broadway, Ste. 200, 342-7000

SECOND Place: Hot Flash tinyurl.com/hotflashchico

THIRD Place: Kinetics Academy of Dance & Gymnastics 627 Broadway, Ste. 100, 345-2505 Happy Hour

Dance Company/Studio

THIRD Place: Chico Art Center 540 Orange St., Ste. 6, 895-8726

The 1078 Gallery’s community-building efforts seem to have hit full-stride in the post-lockdown era. By partnering at the Park Avenue space with Equilateral Coffee and Harvests & Habitats Nursery, the gallery has created a de facto community center in South Chico where artsy types can socialize and check out the latest exhibits of “contemporary an experimental artworks” beyond the previously limited hours.

FIRST Place: Smokey the Groove facebook.com/smokeythegrooveForthesecondyearrunning,energetic jammers Smokey the Groove have clinched the title of Chico’s best Local Music Act. The half-dozen strong band continues to wow audiences at venues and festivals throughout the region with their delightful, hornheavy, danceable “rage funk.”

READERS’PICKS2022

THIRD Place: Gold Country Casino Resort 4020 Olive Hwy, Oroville, 334-9400

Bloody Mary

pleasersCrowd-inthecenterring

Nightlife & the Arts

SECOND Place: Duffy’s Tavern 337 Main St., 343-7718

Casino – Regional FIRST Place: Rolling Hills Casino 2655 Everett Freeman Way, Corning, 528-3500 It’s more than just games of chance that make Rolling Hills Casino a valley favorite. The casino also offers excellent lodging, a variety of dining experiences

100

Mixologist

FIRST Hombres Broadway, it’s more than Hombres remains El Rey

Kinetics Academy of Dance & Gymnastics Dance Gymnastics Birthday Parties Private Lessons $45/MO More than 5 weekly class options. Come to one or come to all. • Ballroom • Tap • Ballet • Barre Fitness West Coast Swing • Contemporary 530-345-2505 | www.KineticsAcademyofDance.com Downtown Chico next to Tin Roof Bakery

Place: Tres

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 29 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

THIRD

The talented and smiling Pablo Trenado Jr., Chico’s new top mixologist, is a beloved mainstay at two downtown hot spots. You’ll find him behind the bar at both Parkside Tap House and Tres Hombres, making drinks as well as friends.

342-0425 With

THIRD Place: Casa Ramos 216 W. East Ave., Ste. C, 894-0119

THIRD Place: Wendy Reid Studio Inn Lounge, 2582 Esplanade, 343-0662

Place: Blü Egyptian bluegyptianband.com Local Visual Artist FIRST Place: Janet Lombardi Blixt chicoartschool.comJanetLombardiBlixt is not just beloved for her colorful paintings but also for sharing her knowledge. She has offered art classes to children and adults at her Chico Art School and Gallery (261 E. Third Street) for more than a decade. SECOND Place: Ama Posey amaposey.com THIRD Place (tie): Caitlin Schwerin facebook.com/artworkbycaitlin THIRD Place (tie): Zak Elstein shadow-boxes.com Margarita

SECOND Place: La Hacienda 2635 Esplanade, 893-8270

expansive list of varieties of the classic— including various fresh-fruit flavors (peach, melon, banana, etc.)—plus

FIRST Place: Pablo Trenado Jr. Parkside Tap House, 115 W. Third St., 636-4239; Tres Hombres, 100 Broadway, 342-0425

SECOND Place: Stephanie Sosa Argus Bar + Patio, 212 W. Second St., 332-9914

Argus Bar + Patio

120 types of tequila and seasoned mixologists, perpetual local favorite Tres

de Margaritas in Chico.

FIRST Place: Wine Time 26 Lost Dutchman Dr., 899-9250 Downtown’s dives and dance clubs serve their purposes well, but there is a refined sensibility that reigns at North Chico’s Wine Time. Here, wine lovers can find a wide array of varietals—from California, Europe and more—as well as meals paired to enhance the experience.

SECOND Place: Sierra Nevada Big Room 1075 E. 20th St., 893-3250

FIRST Place: Bella’s Sports Pub 231 Main St., 893-5253 Bella’s Sports Pub offers a variety of entertainment options—like regular dance nights, open-mic comedy and trivia contests—but at heart, it’s a sports bar. All the elements for a good game day—beer, bar food and big screens—can be found in abundance at this downtown institution.

FIRST Place: Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA) 900 Esplanade, 487-7272 Housed in the beautiful and historic Veterans Memorial Hall (a landmark since it was built in 1927), the Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA) celebrated its fifth anniversary this year. The top-of-the line institution features a fine permanent collection of Nor-Cal art and hosts a varied schedule of rotating special exhibits and community events.

SECOND Place: Unwined Kitchen & Bar 980 Mangrove Ave., 809-2634

SECOND Place: Chico History Museum 141 Salem St., 891-4336

FIRST Place: The Beach 191 E. Second St., 898-9898 There’s nary a seashell or a grain of sand to be found at Chico’s beach, but what the local nightclub does offer—abundant drinks, driving beats and beautiful people—once again puts it at the top of the list of where locals go to get their groove on.

THIRD Place: Chico Children’s Museum 325 Main St., 809-1492 Place To Buy Art

Contact: Ray

rlaager@newsreview.com530-520-4742Laager WINNERS’OCTOBERISSUE6! B E S T OF C H ICO2022

THIRD Place: Art Etc. 256 E. First St., 895-1161 Place To Dance

SECOND Place: Crazy Horse Saloon 303 Main St., 894-5408

SECOND Place: California Regional Theatre 139 W. First St., 722-4522

THIRD Place: Banshee 134 W. Second St. Venue For Live Music

FIRST Place: Duffy’s Tavern 337 Main St., 343-7718 Chico may now contain prettier, trendier and more modern establishments, but the bar closest to the hearts of many locals remains Duffy’s Tavern. With it’s kitschy-come-iconic art work, old-school jukebox, Friday Irish-music happy hours, and an interior that hasn’t been spruced up since sometime in the last century, Duffy’s is a dive unlike any other.

THIRD Place: North State Ballet 2400 Notre Dame Blvd., 774-2364 Place To Drink A Glass Of Wine

THIRD Place (tie): Buffalo Wild Wings 845 East Ave., 592-3251

THIRD Place (tie): Oasis Bar & Grill 1007 W. First St., 343-4305 Theater Company

THIRD Place: Studio Inn Lounge 2582 Esplanade, 343-0662 READERS’ PICKS Co.

SECOND Place: The Pour House 855 East Ave., Ste. 270, 893-3000

FIRST Place: Secret Trail Brewing Co. 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120, 487-8151 A few short years ago, Chico’s new “booze district” on Meyers Street, far removed from downtown’s traditional gathering spots, seemed like a novel idea. Today, Secret Trail Brewing Co. is drawing huge crowds to South Chico with its stacked calendar of local and touring acts booked to its indoor and outdoor stages.

THIRD Place: Argus Bar + Patio 212 W. Second St., 332-9914 Watering Hole For Townies

CONTINUED ON PAGE 33 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 Secret Trail Brewing

SECOND Place: Secret Trail Brewing Co. 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120, 487-8151

FIRST Place: Argus Bar + Patio 212 W. Second St., 332-9914, argusmonstercrate. comSeeBest Bar.

Did readers vote your business among the “BEST” in our “Best of Chico” issue? Brag about it in our To Advertise

30 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Museum

THIRD Place: Grana Wood Fired Foods 198 E. Second St., 809-2304 Sports Bar

FIRST Place: Chico Paper Company 345 Broadway St., 891-0900 Collecting art shouldn’t be a hobby reserved for the rich and well-heeled; Chico Paper Company knows this. From original works by established and up-and-coming artists to local-nostalgia prints by Jake Early, this downtown art store has something for everyone.

THIRD Place: Legacy Stage legacystage.org To-Go Cocktail or Bar Service

SECOND Place: Chico Art Center 540 Orange St., Ste. 6, 895-8726

SECOND Place: Tres Hombres 100 Broadway Street, 342-0425

FIRST Place: Chico Theater Co. 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F, 894-3282 Chico Theater Co. has a solid grasp on what local theatergoers like—namely musicals and other community-playhouse stples—and delivers them in a way that keeps audiences coming back. Recent productions include a rendition of The Spitfire Grill that received sizzling reviews, and a well-received run of the blockbuster Jesus Christ Superstar.

JOIN US ON Enjoy our scrumptious food menu as you experience an ever changing collection of artisan beers. Come check out our new expansion! 2070 E 20th STE 160 Chico, CA 95928 PHONE: 530-894-BEER (2337)

Located in the Chico Marketplace at 1950 20th Street, Unit E523 530.309.0671 • privvyhealth.com Hydration • Health • Fitness Dr. Nerissa Prieto, Medical Director IV infusion can help you feel better fast, and keep you feeling good for life. youThankforvotingforus!

Alternative Health Care Provider

FIRST Place: North Valley Eye Care 114 Mission Ranch Blvd., Ste. 50, 891-1900 Ahead of its move to Meriam Park, North Valley Eye Care has a new plaque. CN&R readers recognized the practice, with three of its nine clinics in Butte County, for comprehensive vision care—from eye exams to new glasses and contact lenses to laser surgeries. Starting Sept. 6, the Chico office will be located at 1700 Bruce Road.

SECOND Place: Joyce Family Chiropractic 9 Frontier Circle, 899-8500

SECOND Place: Amy Dawson 572 Rio Lindo Ave, 891-1823

FIRST Place: Dr. Julie Archer Chico Primary Care, 1645 Esplanade, Ste. 1, 896-0386Honoredas a Living Legend last year, this internal medicine physician has repeatedly topped Best of Chico voting. A patient’s online review gives Dr. Archer “high marks for the skilled, attentive and dependable care she has provided” both for him and his wife for more than two decades—and he’s obviously not alone.

THIRD Place: Dr. Vimali Paul 85 Declaration Drive, Ste. 110, 894-6600 Gym

FIRST Place: Chico Community Acupuncture 1815 Mangrove Ave., 345-5300

Boutique Gym

THIRD Place: Argyll Skincare Center 110 Independence Circle, 899-9393

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 33 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Dental Care

Dermatologist

SECOND Place: Chico Dermatology 774 East Ave., 280-7529

Health & Wellness

THIRD Place: Willow Creek Dentistry 2765 Esplanade, 891-6611

FIRST Place: Sweet Fitness Kickboxing 1390 E. Ninth St., Ste. 170, 521-8495 “This is NOT a professional fighters gym!” Sweet Fitness Kickboxing makes crystal clear that it’s a place to get fit, not get hit. The gym has 36 prograde punching bags that aren’t shared, which makes the workouts sanitary as well as face-saving. Make no mistake, participants feel the burn!

Open since 2010, Chico Community Acupuncture has been a Best of Chico fixture. It’s a nonprofit and part of a national cooperative, People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture, dedicated to increasing access, availability and affordability of treatment. Chico Community Acupuncture does so in a group setting without sacrificing individual attention.

FIRST Place: Privvy Modern Health 1950 E. 20th St., Ste. E-523, 451-3373 Located in the Chico Marketplace, Privvy provides therapeutic infusions and injections in a spa setting. The team features registered nurse Morgan Hatzis, a competitive athlete with extensive experience in IV therapy, and Dr. Nerissa Prieto, a board-certified anesthesiologist and critical care physician with over 15 years in practice. Open daily, Privvy offers appointments and walk-in services.

A perennial Best of Chico winner, Nelsen Family Dentistry is a true family affair. Dr. John Nelsen and Dr. Missy Nelsen met the first day of dental school and moved to Chico to start their practice, which has been going strong for 22 years.

andstrongAcrobats,(wo)menthesafetynet

FIRST Place: Nelsen Family Dentistry 1307 Esplanade, Ste. 4, 898-8511

FIRST Place: In Motion Fitness 1293 E. First Ave., 343-5678 Spanning five acres, In Motion Fitness encompasses eight pools; seven areas for weight training and cardio exercises; and six spaces dedicated to yoga and other mind-body activities. Members use those facilities on their own or in classes, which include programs for kids and youth. A routine Best of Chico winner!

THIRD Place: Family Eye Care 2565 Ceanothus Ave. Ste. 155, 899-3939

THIRD Place: Acupuncture Center of Chico 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 7, 345-7735

SECOND Place: Kremer Dental Care Two locations: 140 Independence Circle & 3 Glenbrook Court, 892-1234

FIRST Place: Hodari MD Dermatology & Rejuvené 80 Declaration Dr., 894-6832 CN&R readers consistently vote Dr. Kafele Hodari as Best of Chico. He specializes in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology—meaning, on any given day, he may see a patient with an unusual rash, remove potentially cancerous moles from another patient and apply a wrinkle-removing treatment to yet another.

THIRD Place: Chico Chiropractic Center 1140 Mangrove Ave., Ste. C, 345-3043

SECOND Place: Creating a Sustainable You 811 E. Fifth Ave., 521-7328

THIRD Place: Chico Naturopathic Medicine 196 Cohasset Road, Ste. 260, 332-9355

THIRD Place: Orangetheory Fitness 874 East Ave., 722-4000 Chiropractor

SECOND Place: Chico Eye Center 605 W. East Ave., 895-1727

Privvy Modern Health

READERS’PICKS2022

Acupuncture Clinic

Situated in a converted house, Preference Chiropractic is a family-oriented clinic run by a family of practitioners. They offer treatment to people from early to late stages of life, including expectant mothers.

SECOND Place: Basis Health & Performance 177 E. 20th St., 636-0850

General Practitioner

FIRST Place: Preference Chiropractic 1635 Magnolia Ave., 895-0224

SECOND Place: Dr. J. Randal Sloop 2068 Talbert Drive, Ste. 150, 809-0009

Eye Care Specialist

THIRD Place: UpState Hearing Instruments – Chico 676 E. First Ave., Ste. 12, 893-4327 Local CBD Source

FIRST Place: Hot Yoga Club Chico 1140 Mangrove Ave., Ste. B, 321-0611 Hot Yoga is a hit. The Chico club, which has a sister location in Granite Bay, draws rave reviews from practitioners for its amenities, classes and, most importantly, instructors.

SECOND Place: Costco 2100 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy, 332-1742

SECOND Place: Fresh Twisted Cafe 156 Eaton Road, Ste. E, 809-2489

FIRST Place: Argyll Medical Group 100 Independence Circle, 899-0295 For 21 years, Dr. Roy Bishop and practitioners at Argyll Medical Group have delivered primary care to thousands in Chico and neighboring communities, along with addiction medicine and skin care. Argyll has been an early adopter of technology, such as electronic prescribing and telemedicine appointments, without compromising on treating patients as people.

SECOND Place: Dr. Patrick Tedford 643 W. East Ave., 342-0502

THIRD Place: Serenity CBD serenitycbd.com Local ProviderHealthcare

SECOND Place: Elaina Zinko OrangeTheory Fitness, 874 East Ave., 722-4000

THIRD Place: Yoga Center of Chico 250 Vallombrosa Ave., Ste. 150, 342-0100

THIRD Place: Dr. Kafele Hotari 80 Declaration Drive, 894-6832 Veterinarian

SECOND Place: Haley’s Martial Arts Center 260 Cohasset Road, 895-3114

FIRST Place: Azad’s Martial Arts Center 313 Walnut St., Ste. 150, 892-2923 Grandmaster Farshad Azad is acclaimed for his hands as well as his heart. He is a 10th degree black belt in both Hapkido and Tai Chi; holds master rank in Jung SuWon and Kali; and created multiple martial arts forms. He’s also widely recognized for his philanthropy, a model he sets at his studio (see Best Volunteer in “Community” section).

SECOND Place: Chico Animal Hospital 3015 Esplanade, 342-0518

THIRD Place: Chico Creek Animal Hospital 3449 Highway 32, 343-3516

THIRD Place: Orangetheory Fitness 260 Cohasset Road, Ste. 190, 345-9427 Hearing Aid Specialist

Martial Arts Studio

SECOND Place: Wendy’s Massage Chico 1351 Mangrove Ave., 342-2222

SECOND Place: Enloe Rehabilitation Center Outpatient Therapy 340 W. East Ave., 332-6110

FIRST Place: Chico Pediatrics 670 Rio Lindo Ave., Ste. 300, 343-8522 Dr. Ejaz Ahmed, last year’s winner, repeats as Best of Chico alongside his colleagues at Chico In Motion Fitness

SECOND Place: Dr. Daniel Thomas 619 W. East Ave., 891-4391

THIRD Place (tie): Enloe Medical Center 1531 Esplanade, 332-7300

Yoga Studio

FIRST Place: Creating a Sustainable You 811 E. Fifth Ave., 521-7328

SECOND Place: Mission Ranch Primary Care 114 Mission Ranch Blvd., Ste. 10, 894-5000

THIRD Place: Dr. Kathleen Sullivan 194 Cohasset Road, 893-2303 Personal Trainer

THIRD Place: Morning Sun Martial Arts 181 E. Ninth Ave., 342-5833 Massage Therapist

Candi Williamson and her massage therapy team take a holistic approach. “What I provide is the ability to assess and put the pieces together in order to see the bigger picture and provide a comprehensive solution,” Williamson says on the website of what she calls “A True Wellness Center.” From reiki to myofascial to trigger point and more, Creating a Sustainable You offers a wide range of treatment options.

Pediatrician

FIRST Place: S&S Organic Produce & Natural Foods 1924 Mangrove Ave., 343-4930 In business 55 years, S&S has grown a reputation for quality fruits, vegetables, meats, groceries, vitamins and supplements. It’s no surprise, then, that Chicoans extend their trust to the store for CBD products and have chosen S&S as Chico’s best.

FIRST Place: Nate Carlascio Basis Health & Performance, 117 E. 20th St., 636-0850Asownerof Basis, Nate Carlascio has a lot on his plate. But he hasn’t strayed from his roots: training clients. Carlascio’s dedication has earned him loyal devotees—and a second straight Best of Chico award.

Azad’s Martial Arts Center

SECOND Place: Sweet Fitness Kickboxing 1390 E. Ninth St., Ste. 170, 521-8495

THIRD Place: Nico Willis OrangeTheory Fitness, 874 East Ave., 722-4000 Physical Therapy Office

THIRD Place: Avail Physical Therapy 2555 Ceanothus, Ste. 150, 892-2810 Plastic Surgeon

FIRST Place: Chico Hearing Aid Center 1600 Mangrove Ave., Ste. 160, 342-8132 Chico Hearing Aid Center has served the community’s auditory needs since 1949. Deanna McCoy has been there 19 years, the past 15 leading the team. The office specializes in digital and open fit hearing aids along with providing exams, hearing tests, device cleaning and repairs.

SECOND Place: In Motion Fitness 1293 E. First Ave., 343-5678

Pediatrics—Dr. Evbu Ogbeide and nurse practitioners Jill Berry, Rebecca Konkin, Monica Riccomini and Suzanne Wang. The practice, which marks its 45th anniversary this year, cares for newborns up to age 18.

THIRD Place: Babette Maisse 13 Williamsburg Lane, 321-5668

34 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 36 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

THIRD Place (tie): Mangrove Medical Group 1040 Mangrove Ave., 345-0064

FIRST Place: Coast Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine 1044 Mangrove Ave., 892-2966 Coast Physical Therapy adapted to COVID times with appointments by phone or on videoconference. Yet the clinic kept its firm foundation with owners Chad Layland and Kevin Vaughn, the physical therapists who opened the office in 1998 and remain its owner-operators.

FIRST Place: Darling Veterinary Clinic 2520 Dominic Drive, 892-8910 As construction and renovations transform the area around his clinic, Dr. Gary Darling continues to look after the community’s animals as he’s done for years. His is a single veterinarian practice, open weekdays, for pets and large animals alike.

FIRST Place: Dr. Emily C. Hartmann 1930 Notre Dame Blvd., 487 5020 Dr. Hartmann brings a wealth of training to her hometown practice, Beauty Eternal Medspa, where she offers surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Her expertise includes female-to-male and male-tofemale top surgeries.

FIRST Place: Butte Humane Society 13391 Garner Lane, 343-7917 Butte Humane Society has focused on providing humanitarian care to dogs, cats and other animals since 1911. The nonprofit offers a wide variety of services, including a veterinary clinic, pet re-homing, behavior and training resources, animal-assisted wellness visits and an animal fostering program. Butte Humane also assists low-income pet owners by providing a spay and neuter clinic with low-cost options and a pantry with pet food and supplies.

36 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

SECOND Place: Butte Creek Country Club 175 Estates Dr., 343-7979

Charitable Cause

SECOND Place: Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT) 399-3965

FIRST Place: Saturday Farmers Market Saturdays, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Second & Wall streets, 893-3276 There’s no shortage of delicious, locally grown produce and eclectic, handmade goods offered at the Saturday Farmers Market, a Chico tradition and family-friendly event that draws crowds weekly.

SECOND Place: Thursday Night Market Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. May through September, downtown, 345-6500

SECOND Place: Live Life Juice Co. Two locations: 220 Broadway St., 566-3346; 2279 Springfield Dr., Ste.150, 809-2635, 636-4693 (deliveries, both locations)

THIRD Place: Camina Bakery 321-8417 Golf Course – Regional FIRST Place: Bidwell Park Golf Course 3199 Golf Course Road, 891-8417 The Bidwell Park Golf Course celebrated its 100th year in 2020 and is known for its sprawling, varied layout amid the stunning wilderness views of Upper Park. No membership is required for country club amenities, including the 18-hole course, pro shop and Bidwell Bar & Grill.

THIRD Place: Canyon Oaks Country Club 999 Yosemite Dr., 343-2582

THIRD Place: Woofstock June, Butte Humane Society, 343-7917

SECOND Place: Janet Lombardi Blixt –Chico Art School

FIRST Place: Bidwell Park chico.ca.us/bidwell-parkBidwellPark—withitsarray of hiking, running and We’re all in thistogethercircus Community KZFR Bidwell Park

THIRD Place: Dillon Collins Host of Comedy Thursday (Bella’s Sports Pub) Place For Family Fun

THIRD Place: Jesus Center 2255 Fair St., 345-2640

FIRST Place: Mike “G-Ride” Griffith G-Ride Pedi-Cab & Trolley It’s impossible to miss Mike “G-Ride” Griffith and his rockin’ pedi-cab when venturing into downtown Chico. This Best of Chico Living Legend is known for his friendly demeanor, festive outfits and dedication to the community, often volunteering at local events.

READERS’PICKS2022

Instructor/Professor FIRST Place: Lindsay Briggs –Chico State Lindsay Briggs, a former winner in this category, is a tenured professor in the department of Public Health and Human Services acclaimed for her dedication to her students. She is also well-known for her outspoken, unapologetic activism in areas such

FIRST Place: GRUB CSA Farm 11630 Dairy Road, 680-4543 GRUB Community Supported Agriculture is motivated to provide local, healthy food to the community. In addition to its appearance at multiple farmers markets, the farm delivers fresh produce to local restaurants, offers a CSA membership program and regularly donates produce to nonprofit organizations that serve seniors, people with disabilities and the unhoused. as public health, social and racial justice, diversity and inclusion, and LGBTQ rights. She consistently receives high ratings from students for her passion, the quality of her engaging lectures and her feedback.

Farmer’s Market Vendor

THIRD Place: Sanjay Dev – Butte College

Community Event

SECOND Place: Linda Watkins-Bennett Action News Now anchor and producer

Local Personality

THIRD Place: Z-Rock 106.7 FM, zrockfm.com Teacher (K-12)

SECOND Place: Center for Spiritual Living Chico 14 Hillary Lane, 895-8395

FIRST Place: Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley 601 Wall St., 899-0335 The nonprofit Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley was founded in 1995 to “inspire and enable all young people to reach their full potential as responsible, productive and caring citizens.” Today, the organization serves more than 2,000 children and teens, ages 6-18, across 10 locations in Butte and Glenn counties—offering a variety of educational and mentorship programs in areas such as academics, health and wellness, character and leadership.

FIRST Place: KZFR 90.1 FM, kzfr.org

KZFR has been a community platform for Butte County for 32 years with a variety of shows covering topics such as local news, public affairs, peace and social justice, environmental issues, local music and an eclectic range of themed music programs, including jazz, reggae, Native American, folk, Zydeco, Celtic and more. KZFR is also a nonprofit and active participant in its community.

Jennifer Rossovich has been a teacher in the Chico Unified School District for more than 30 years. A previous winner in this category, she is known for being a kind and gentle leader while also holding her students to high academic standards.

SECOND Place: The Blaze 103.5 FM, 1035theblaze.com

THIRD Place: Rare Air Trampoline Park 1090 E. 20th St., 433-5557 Place To Pray/Meditate

THIRD Place: Charles Withuhn North State Shelter Team, Chico Housing Action Team, Chico Tree Advocates

THIRD Place: Chico Area Recreation & Park District (CARD) 545 Vallombrosa Ave., 895-4711

THIRD Place: Bidwell Presbyterian Church 208 W. First St., 343-1484

FIRST Place: Bidwell Park chico.ca.us/bidwell-parkSeePlaceForFamilyFun.

EDITORS’ PICKS ON PAGE 40 Butte Humane Society READERS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36Celebrating12Years! CHICO COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTUREFORAPPOINTMENTS ChicoCommunityAcupuncture.com1815MangroveAve.,Chico(530)345-5300 Earn Money From Home Adult(s) with special needs lives with you in your home, and you mentor them towards a better future. Must be at least 21, have a spare bedroom, clean criminal record and vehicle. (530) 221-9911 | www. mentorswanted.com CARE PROVIDERS Needed!

SECOND Place: Youth for Change 260 Cohasset Road, Ste. 120, 877-1965, 877-8187

38 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 mountain-biking trails, picnic areas and swimming holes—is considered the crown jewel of Chico. The 3,670-acre park offers the whimsical playground Caper Acres, fishing at Horseshoe Lake, horseback riding opportunities, stargazing at the Chico Community Observatory, swimming at Sycamore Pool, many picnic and barbecue spots perfect for birthdays and other get-togethers, and settings beneath shady trees nurturing quiet contemplation.

Radio Station

Youth Organization

FIRST Place: Jennifer Rossovich –Hooker Oak Elementary School

SECOND Place: FunLand/Cal Skate Chico 2465 Carmichael Dr., 343-1601

THIRDClassroomPlace: Anne Chik – Chico Country Day School Volunteer

SECOND Place: Shelly Rogers Animal activist, Neighborhood Cat Advocates, Friends of the Chico Animal Shelter and Bidwell Wildlife Rehabilitation

SECOND Place: Linda Holm – Wildflower Open

FIRST Place: Farshad Azad Thanksgiving Basket Brigade, Gimme-Some-Sole shoe drive Farshad Azad, founder of Azad’s Martial Arts Center, is not only known in the Chico community for his expertise in martial arts, he has made an incredible impact with his philanthropic endeavors. For 30 years, he has spearheaded distributing Thanksgiving meals to families in need, and he also hosts the Gimme-Some-Sole drive, collecting shoes and school supplies for low-income children.

Stephanie Smith Maple ParkresidentApartments

Maple Park residents pictured topbottom, Stephanie Smith, Sheila Pitts, and Ramona Tabares

How CHIP’s Maple Park Apartments in Live Oak help seniors find their community

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While the wait list is long, Pitts, Smith, and Tabares all agree that the best thing for seniors to do is to put their name on the list and call regularly to check on their applica tion. Something will eventually open up, and when it does, you’ll find yourself with at least one less worry.

“Inflation is coming,” Smith says. “Backwards, upside down and sideways. I might gripe about the cost of gas and grocer ies. But as for my rent? You’d have to drag me up out of here.”

“If something breaks, they fix it right away,” Tabares says. “It’s beautiful.”

AffordabilityBEYOND

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY LAAGER BY RAUL CLEMENT

downBackwards,is“Inflationcoming.upsideandsideways. I might gripe about the cost of gas and groceries. But as for my rent? You’d have to drag me up out of here.”

For more information about CHIP rentals in Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Sutter and Yuba counties, see https://chiphousing.org/rentals

everything is in working order, while a part-time services coor dinator helps arrange activities.

S kyrocketing inflation has made it harder than ever for California residents to afford housing. This is even more true for seniors, who are more likely than young er Californians to be on a fixed income. According to the UC Berkeley Labor Center, roughly one in four senior house holds face a “housing cost burden,” defined as spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Fortunately for residents in seven counties in the Central Valley, an organization exists to ease their burden. Community Housing Improvement Program, known as CHIP, has been in operation since 1973 and has built more than 2,600 hous ing Oneunits.of CHIP’s most recent ven tures is Maple Park Apartments in Live Oak, California. An apartment for low-income families opened in 2013, and in April of 2016 a 35-unit community for seniors aged 55 and up followed. Every unit in Maple Park Senior Apartments is now full and the wait list can be years long. The reason for that is obvious to Maple Park residents Sheila Pitts, Stephanie Smith, and Ramona Tabares. “You won’t hear anyone here say they’re looking to move,” Stephanie Smith says confidently. Part of this is the affordability: Rent is determined by income. Smith, Pitts, and Tabares all pay between $215 and $258, an amount that would be unfathomable in standard unsubsidized housing. Smith lived in the Bay Area for 13 years, paying over $1600 a month for a tiny two-bedroom. Most of the units in Maple Park Apartments are one-bedroom, but they are spa cious and come with a dishwasher and central air and heat. An elevator makes access easy, even on the third floor. A shared laundry facility is just across the parking lot in the family apartments. There is a reading room as well as a gameButroom.more than amenities, it’s the sense of community that keeps Maple Park seniors happy. Residents engage in regular commu nity activities, from movie night to bingo night to seminars.“Wedo cake and ice cream for birthdays,” Sheila Pitts says. “We don’t want to miss anybody. If we know their birthday’s coming, we’re having cake and ice cream.” Ramona Tabares, who was homeless when she was finally admitted into Maple Park in 2019, appreciates the way residents look out for each other. “If they know you’re sick, they’ll come over and bring you food. They’ll ask you if you need anything. Do you need a ride? Do you need food?” “We’re like one big family here,” Pitts adds. “We wel comeThiseverybody.”senseofcare extends to the CHIP employees who manage the property. An on-site manager makes sure that

BEST RESPONSE Rallies in City Plaza

The three progressives representing Chicoans in local government sit in minority positions. At least Butte County Supervisors Debra Lucero and Tami Ritter have each other (through the end of the year); City Councilwoman Alex Brown has been on her own since Scott Huber resigned last summer and got replaced by a conservative appointee. Nonetheless, Brown has fought as hard and vocally for underserved Chicoans as she did when she was Vice Mayor in a 5-2 majority. She challenges assumptions, questions her colleagues and consistently dissents—usually alone—on council votes she considers bad policy or contrary to data-driven decision making. A lightning rod for the right, Brown will not seek a second term this November, which is a loss for Chico. We hope her fighting days aren’t over, that she continues to serve the community in other arenas.

BEST FIGHTER Alex Brown

When a development on the national or world stage seems too monumental to impact as an individual, too seismic to process alone, what’s a person to do? In Chico, the response is often communal—and that was the case May 3 after news broke that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade. Hundreds of Chicoans, across demographic lines, gathered at City Plaza as the City Council met across the street; their chants supporting women’s right to choose echoed through the chambers. People returned to the plaza for rallies and marches, including a protest June 24 following the court’s final decision. Peacefully, cathartically, en masse, the community found strength in solidarity.

Need a quick escape to focus your spiritual energy? Check out the labyrinth located on the park-like grounds of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church (2341 Floral Ave.)—outside of normal church hours, you’re likely to find yourself the only one there. The labyrinth is located behind the main church buildings and is set near a grove of trees and a seasonal crick, making it the perfect place for quiet contemplation. The labyrinth is a winding circular pathway, meant to represent the Stations of the Cross, and was built in 2017 as an Eagle Scout’s project. Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, walking such mazes is said to be meditative and a good way to focus spiritual energies, and the beautiful surroundings certainly won’t hinder one’s search for peace and well-being.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Labyrinth at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church

Staging A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the edge of a meadow at Bidwell Park’s Cedar Grove for the return of Shakespeare in the Park was a grand-slam play by the Legacy Stage theater company. So, too, was the production’s sparse staging, which put the focus firmly on the natural surroundings. Spotting fairy folk flitting among the trees; hearing a gentle musical accompaniment of harp and violin; watching Athenians strutting about the stage as day turned into night—all combined for a transcendent theater experience not to be found within four walls.

40 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Bonus acts courtesy of the CN&R crew

BEST FANCY WALKING PATH Labyrinth at St. John BEST ARTISTIC USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES

A Night’sMidsummerDream

EDITORS’ PICKS

Al pastor, Crazy Taco 1205 Park Ave. For at least two decades, my greatest Chico food craving has been the al pastor from Crazy Taco, the walk-up taqueria connected to Duke’s Bottle Shop. During times of peak fiending, I’d measure my amount of pork ingested—sitting on the curb outside the liquor store—in pounds per month. The pork is prepared in adobada fashion, with a semisweet marinade of chilis (guajillo is the star), vinegar, oregeno and (maybe?) cinnamon. It’s all grilled with onions before being finished in oil on the flat-top, creating a reddish-orange river dripping from the corn tortillas or, better yet, pooling at the bottom of the burrito for that truly best last bite.

Dogs and beer

CN&R editorial staffers pick their absolute favorite,showstoppingfight-you-for-the-last-crumb,flavorstosavor

BEST RESTAURANT AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE Scotty’s Landing

B E S T B I T E S

—KEN SMITH

—JASON CASSIDY

Cheese skirt, Nobby’s 1444 Park Ave.

Shahi paneer, Taj Fine Indian Cuisine 995 Nord There’sAve.something about the shahi paneer at Taj that inspires a craving so intense that even when I’m at my most hermetic, I will venture way across town and even (eek!) into the busy Nord Avenue college neighborhood to taste it.

BEST REVIVAL OF A COMMUNITY EVENT ChicoFestivalArt

There’s nothing typical about Scotty’s, the bar/restaurant on the Sacramento River run by a former rodeo clown. The CN&R referred to the joint as a “ramshackle paradise” roughly a decade ago, and that description still stands, because not a damned thing has changed at this haven for river rats and would-be honky-tonk heroes. The place might actually be some sort of interdimensional space/time vortex: You can sit quietly on the river-facing back patio and somehow imagine yourself at any point between 1975 and some indeterminate year in a post-apocalyptic future. Not convinced? Check out the menu: With its 1990-something prices, it’s possible to get a tasty meal for two and a pitcher of beer for about $25 bucks! Dog and beer at Burgers & Scotty’sBrewLanding

The mild paneer cheese cubes swim in a warm and creamy spiced tomato sauce, pairing perfectly with butter naan and rice. On any day, it’s delicious—but especially after a hard day when comfort food is a necessity, the shahi paneer hits the spot.

Prawns scampi, Sicilian Cafe 1020 Main St. Lemon Brick Chicken at the Sierra Nevada Taproom. Hamachi Sunrise at Rawbar. Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta at Grana. I could go on—this town boasts so many kitchens creating a bounty of flavors that leave indelible impressions.

The salty, crunchy-yet-gooey fried cheese skirt surrounding its burgers is Nobby’s signature move, putting it in the conversation for the best of Chico’s burgers. But here’s a secret: Cheese skirts aren’t just for burgers. For an even more skirt-heavy experience, check out Nobby’s downright decadent steak taco. It’s marinated steak with tomatoes piled into a mid-sized corn tortilla, but separating the filling from the wrap is a cheddar cheese skirt that often outsizes the tortilla itself. If you’re watching carbs or just prefer your fried cheese flavor front and center, ditch the wrap for a hardcore, unadulterated dose of yummy meat and cheese.

—EVAN TUCHINSKY

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 41 EDITERS’ PICKS CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

If I’m choosing one, however, I’ll go with a dish my wife and I love to start our celebrations at a Chico mainstay we choose for our most special occasions. Sicilian Cafe chef-owner James Taylor has perfected his recipes and preparations over decades. His scampi appetizer is sublime: Prawns always perfect, sauce always rich yet somehow delicate, not heavy. A mysterious masterpiece. You can get it as a main dish, but as a starter, it’s the perfect few bites to tantalize. Magnifico!

Amid the destruction of so much of “normal life,” a few advancements to good living have come out of the pandemic: namely, patios that allowDuringdogs.COVID, drinking beer outside with a pooch was one of the few acceptable public indulgences. Now that everything has opened back up, and the patios in front of Duffy’s Tavern and The Banshee have joined pre-existing spots at the likes of B Street and Burgers & Brew, there are so many options for that most ideal date night: beer with your dog.

—ASHIAH SCHARAGA

The return of this beloved community event is one of the highlights of 2022. The Chico Art Festival (formerly Art at the Matador) rebooted and relocated to St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church for its ninth edition; it featured an impressive collection of art and handmade creations from dozens of artists and makers working with various materials—paint, ceramics, stained glass, leather, felt, wood andThemore.two-day festival drew a crowd ready to return to in-person events—wandering in and out of artist booths, tapping their feet and dancing to live local music, sipping on coffee in the morning and margaritas in the afternoon. Nonprofit art groups also offered interactive experiences, like a weaving lesson for children and live screenprinting demonstrations.We’rethrilled that Chico Visual Arts Alliance (ChiVAA), the group behind this delightful event, is already planning next year’s festival: Put May 12-13, 2023, on your calendar!

BEST PAIRING

The addition of this lively outdoor event to Chico’s Saturday festivities has been a breath of fresh air, especially during the ups and downs of the pandemic. Here’s hoping the fair will become yet another local tradition.

The dudes DowntownatLiquor&Market

Rotary Centennial Park

Rotary Centennial Park

There’s always something new to see at the Flume Street Fair, a colorful, eclectic weekly celebration of art, music and local creators on the corner of Eighth and Flume streets, hosted by Chico Art Studio in collaboration with the Chico ART Collective.

Andan Casamajor, the music coordinator for Secret Trail Brewing Company, has long been dedicated to supporting local musicians.

42 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 EDITORS’ PICKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 BEST WEEKLY PARKING LOT PARTY Flume Street Fair

BEST FULFILLED PROMISE

Every Saturday (except during the hottest months; June-August this year), vendors show off a range of goods—handmade jewelry, stained glass, ceramics, paintings and more. It’s an intimate, comfortable space, where artists and fair-goers can strike up a conversation easily and local musicians can show off at the event’s open mic or as a featured act. The fair also offers local food and beverage vendors.

Andan Casamajor (with performer Jim Brobeck)

North Chico residents waited 25 years for a park at the corner of Ceres Avenue and Whitewood Way. That’s what they were promised when the neighborhood was developed in the 1990s. Instead, decades passed with a giant field of weeds and rocks as a reminder.

Flume Street Fair

Elie Ibrahim and Frank Deshler at Downtown Liquor & Market (598 E. 8th St.) are masters of this sort of engagement. With a “Hey, Boss” when a regular walks through the door, followed by a casual question posed as money is exchanged for a bottle, the dudes brighten the days of more Chicoans than many shopkeepers in town.

As the host of Secret Trail’s Wednesday open mic night, launched in September 2021, Casamajor has cultivated a welcoming and encouraging setting for up-and-comers as well as longtime performers. Of course, Secret Trail (132 Meyers St., Ste. 120) is just the latest spot where Casamajor has produced the very popular open mic that has been going on in Chico for decades—most recently at Tender Loving Coffee and before that at the old downtown location of Has Beans Coffee. Always professional and clearly passionate about her work, Casamajor is an attentive, expert sound engineer, as well as a talented local musician and singer-songwriter (she heads folk-rock cover band Channel 66). She’s also provided sound engineering for various community events, such as Stonewall Alliance’s Chico Pride. Our town is lucky to have Casamajor. The important work she’s done for years has uplifted local musicians and helped the Chico music scene grow and flourish.

But Chico Rotary, a service organization that marked its 100th anniversary last year, partnered with the Chico Area Recreation and Park District to transform the five-acre lot into a lush park with a playground, basketball court, picnic areas, grass fields and walking trail. Hundreds of volunteers from Chico, Paradise and Durham worked on the project. Lined with split-rail wooden fencing and accessible to the public, Rotary Centennial Park opened in December and continues to take root, recently adding a new climbing apparatus for kids.

BEST MUSICIANS’ ADVOCATE Andan Casamajor

BESTTALKERSSMALL

Whether at a party or in an elevator, the best way to smooth over the awkwardness of being around other humans is simply to ask a question. Everyone likes to feel as though someone is showing interest in them, and just saying something like “What are you up to this weekend?” can make a stranger open up, sparking a conversation that leads to connection.

Like a closet, Butte County’s primary landfill has only limited capacity. One solution: Reduce the stuff that needs to fit into that space. In particular, the facility focuses on recycling, especially large, bulky items. That suchcarpetingappliances,andacceptsdrop-offserviceoperatesusefulmaterialsprovidesvolumesreducesdramaticallywasteandforproducts.NRRWFaself-recyclingareathatmattressesboxsprings,largewaterheaters,andelectronicwasteasTVsandmicrowaves.It

Communities gradually added green or brown bins to collect green waste, he adds.

How mattressesrecyclingmakesmoreroom

CalRecycle will soon require food waste to be placed into the green waste bin, another change – and we’re still educating people about what goes where. Sure, there’s some initial shock and anxiety, but over a short period of time, sorting food waste will become as second nature.”

NRRWF’s Kody Koeplin loads mattresses to be recycled. The Neal Road facility receives more than a thousand mattresses every month. DEBBIE ARRINGTON

“The mattresses are sent to a recycling facility in Woodland,” he adds. “NRRWF exports six to nine semi-trailer loads of mattresses each week. The textiles are removed and sent to rag markets, coils are separated for scrap metal markets, and wood can be used as biomass fuel to produce energy.”The landfill benefits, too, says Miller. “At NRRWF, we save a lot of airspace when we recycle mattresses.”

“That meant three bins, one for trash, one for recyclables, and one for green waste. It was another small change to sort trash.

also accepts flattened cardboard, scrap metal, auto batteries and bicycles. Mattress recycling has been a popular program for both residents and land operators. NRRWF has participated in the Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye-Bye Mattress program since 2016.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BUTTE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS BY

Neal Road landfill annually recycles 18,000 mattresses. Next push: Organic waste.

Learn more www.buttecounty.net/atrecyclebutte/

For residents, the mattress drop-off service is free, says Miller. “Still, we find (mattresses) illegally dumped on County roads. Why? It’s disappointing that some people have this attitude. It’s an eyesore, bad for the environment and wastes County resources to clean-up the mess.”

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Like mattress recycling public outreach, Butte County Public Works is now working on educating residents about recycling organic waste, says Craig Cissell, deputy director of Butte County’s Waste and Recyling Division. Recycling food waste into compost can extend landfill life and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Recycling and trash collection keeps evolving,” Cissell notes. “Until the ’90s, you filled one trashcan and didn’t think about pulling anything out except aluminum cans.”

“NRRWF’s mattress recycling program is a huge success,” says Eric Miller, manager of the Waste Management Division for Butte County Public Works. “Consumers pay around $10.50 per mattress – $21 per mattress and box spring – at the point-of-purchase when buying a new mattress. This fee covers the cost of challengehavestewardship.”transportationlabor,andrecycling.TheMRCBye-ByeMattressprogramisanexcellentmodelforend-of-lifeproductMattressesalwaysbeenaatlandfills.“Landfilloperators dislike burying mattresses,” Miller says. “The springs entangle equipment. Plus mattresses float through the waste, like tires that spring back, and can pop out of side slopes (in the landfill).” Waste collectors don’t like them either.

“A kingsize bed takes more than 54,000 cubic inches of space, about the same volume as four medium-sized trash cans.”

The Neal Road facility accepts about 18,000 mattresses a year, Miller says. Stacked atop each other, those mattresses nearly reach the height of Lassen Peak. Lined end to end, they stretch 23 miles – the distance between Oroville and Chico.

ERIC MILLER Manager, Waste Management Division, Butte PublicCountyWorks

H ow do you squeeze in more stuff? That’s not only an issue for residents with overstuffed closets and packed garages; it’s a constant puzzle at Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility (NRRWF).

“Mattresses are a menace to commercial garbage truck drivers,” Miller notes. “A kingsize bed takes more than 54,000 cubic inches of space, about the same volume as four medium-sized trash cans.”

GNARLY COMEDY: Stand up from Central California-based comedian Anthony K. Sun, 9/4, 7pm. $10-$40. Gnarly Deli, 243 W. Second St. Music

ALMENDRA MUSIC: Live at the winery. Sat, 9/3, 6pm. Almendra Winery & Distillery, 9275 Midway Road, Durham. LYNN BROWN: Live music during brunch. Sat, 9/3, 11am. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway.

BOBBY BROWN: The R&B/hip-hop star (remember “My Prerogative?”) comes to Oroville. $45-$79. Fri, 9/9, 7pm. Gold Country Casino Resort, 4020 Olive Hwy, Oroville. goldcoun trycasino.com

MILE LONG YARD SALE: Every year Montgomery residents open their yards and parking lots for one big sale. Sat, 9/3, 9am. Along Montgomery Street in downtown Oroville. Music

GATEWAY SCIENCE MUSEUM: From Earthquakes to Epidemics, an exploration of the impact of natural and manmade disasters and pandemics in California, using the humanities as a lens to give context to the impacts of recent and historic disasters in the Golden State. Through 12/17. $5-$7. 625 Esplanade. csuchico.edu

44 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

WED7 Music BEACH BOYS: Wouldn’t it be nice to start the school year with some fun music? The universal tunes from Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and the rest of the California sons will fill the Laxson hall courtesy of Chico Performances. $64-$85. Wed, 9/7, 7:30pm. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State, (530) 8986333. chicoperformances.com

THE TURNER: First Impressions, a curator’s choice show to open the school year. Curator talk: Sept. 15, 5:30pm. Through 10/15. Free. Arts & Humanties Building, Chico State. Markets

BILL’S KARAOKE: Hosted by Reba Gray. Sundays, 7:30pm. Free. Bill’s Towne Lounge, 135 Main St. CASINO COMEDY NIGHT: Live comedy every other Thursday at the Spirits Lounge in the casino. Thursdays, 8pm. Gold Country Casino & Hotel, 4020 Olive Highway, Oroville. goldcountrycasino.com

OPEN MIC COMEDY: Open mic comedy night hosted by Dillon Collins. Sign ups 8pm, showtime 9pm. Wednesdays, 9pm. Free. The Studio Inn Lounge, 2582 Esplanade. (530) 520-0119.

FRI2 Music BROTHERS OF THE OVEN: Blues rock two-piece from Northern California. Sounds Good? opens. Fri, 9/2, 8pm. Argus Bar + Patio, 212 W. Second St. DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: The Pub Scouts bring traditional Irish music weekly to Duffy’s. Fri, 9/2, 5pm. Free. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. (530) 343-7718.

SHORDIE SHORDIE: The Baltimore rapper known for his hit single “Betchua” is on tour. Sat, 9/3, 7pm. $20-$35. El Rey Theater, 230 W. Second St. elreychico.com

SECRET TRAIL OPEN MIC: Weekly open mic at the brewery. Wednesdays, 6pm. Secret Trail Brewing Company, 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120.

OLIVIA HARMS: Live music at The Chico Taproom in Chico. Fri, 9/2, 8pm. Chico Taproom, 2201 Pillsbury Road, Suite 114. bandsintown.com

THE SUN FOLLOWERS: Singing songs to break, melt and mend the heart. Fri, 9/2, 4:30pm. Free. The Barn at Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place. meriampark.com

FARMERS MARKETS: Butte County’s markets are open and selling fresh produce and more. Chico: Downtown (Saturdays, 7:30am-1pm); North Valley Plaza (Wednesdays, 8am-1pm); Thursday Night Market downtown (Thursdays, 6pm); Chico State University Farm (Thursdays, noon-4 p.m.). Magalia: Magalia Community Center (Sundays, 10am). Paradise: Alliance Church (Tuesdays, 7:30am-2pm); “Farmers Market Mobile” in Paradise, 1397 South Park Drive (Thursdays, 2pm). Open Mics & Karaoke

DOWNTOWN ART TOURS: Chico Arts and Culture tours of downtown public art on first Saturdays. Sat, 9/3, 10am. Free. Chico Municipal Building, 411 Main St. (530) 8646279. chicoartsandculture.org

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT: Live local music in the downtown plaza. This week: young jammers Blu Egyptian. Fri, 9/9, 7pm. City Plaza, downtown Chico. downtownchico.com

SEPT.

CHICO ART CENTER: Introspection Paintings by Heather Martindale, photorealistic oil paintings depicting movement of the human body by the Idaho-based artist. Through 9/23. Free. 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter.com

COMEDY THURSDAY: Weekly comedy show and open mic hosted by Dillon Collins. Thursdays, 8pm. Free. Bellas Sports Pub, 231 Main St. (530) 520-0119.

GNARAOKE: Karaoke hosted by Donna & Mike. Thursdays, 7pm. Free. Gnarly Deli, 243 W. Second St.

Arts & Culture DRACULA: A MUSICAL WITH BITE Sept. 8-25 Theatre on the Ridge

LANGDON KENNEDY: Live music for happy hour Fri, 9/9, 4pm. La Salles, 229 Broadway.

TYLER DEVOLL: Local singer/songwriter during happy hour. Fri, 9/2. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway. lasalleschico.com SAT3 Events

THU8 Music HIPPY HAPPY HOUR: See Sept.1. Thu, 9/8, 4pm. Free. Om on the Range, 301 Main St. Theater

JIM LAUDERDALE AND DUSTBOWL REVIVAL: Grammy-winning troubadour Jim Lauderdale teams up with LA folk-rock crew Dustbowl Revival to bring a rip-roaring trip through the history of Americana, from the honky-tonks of Nashville to the blues dives of Chicago and beyond. $40. Fri, 9/9, 7:30pm. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State, (530) 8986333. chicoperformances.com

RUZZ GUITAR BLUES REVUE: Live music from the UK on the patio during Thursday Night Market. Thu, 9/1, 6pm. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway. lasalleschico.com

THU1 Music ACOUSTIC THURSDAYS: Music by Steve Johnson. Thu, 9/1, 6pm. Free. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St. ALTERNATE SUNDAE + OLDEGUARD + SNUFF: A mixed bag of solo artists, playing fast punk, chill anarchist vibes, and hardcore chaos. Thu, 9/1, 7:30pm. $10. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St. HIPPY HAPPY HOUR: Doug Stein, Bryan Gravy and a rotating cast of local musicians. Thu, 9/1, 4pm. Free. Om on the Range, 301 Main St.

AFTERTHOT: Singer/songwriter duo. Sat, 9/3, 5pm. Free. Rock House Dining & Espresso, 11865 Hwy 70, Yankee Hill. (530) 532-1889.

DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: A musical adaptation for the stage written by Amber Miller with musical direction by Ben Ruttenburg and Samantha Francis A melodic telling of Bram Stoker’s classic. Shows through Sept. 25. Thu, 9/8, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 8775760. totr.org

DEBAJITO: Live Latin music. Fri, 9/9, 8pm. Argus Bar + Patio, 212 W. Second St. DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/9, 5pm. Free. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. (530) 343-7718.

LOW FLYING BIRDS: The long-running Chico jamgrass crew drops a new album. Come party with them. Fri, 9/9, 8pm. Om on the Range, 301 Main St.

FRI9 Music

OPEN MIC AT THE DOWNLO: Hosted by Jeff Pershing. Sign up to perform two songs. All ages until 10pm. Fridays, 6:30pm. Free. The DownLo, 319 Main St.

EVERCLEAR: The 1990s rock band from Portland is on tour to celebrate turning 30. Sun, 9/4, 8pm. $30. Rolling Hills Casino, 2655 Barham Ave, Corning. rollinghillscasino.com

1078 GALLERY: Members Show 2022, each member gets a 2-foot square or 2-foot cube space to display their work(s). Reception and 41st birthday celebration: Sept. 17, 6–8pm. 9/16-10/20. Free. 1078 Gallery, 1710 Park Ave. 1078gallery.org

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT: Live local music in the downtown plaza. This week: Soul/funk/rock with Chuck Epperson Band. Fri, 9/2, 7pm. City Plaza, downtown Chico.

SUNDAYS AT TWO: Enjoy an afternoon of the next generation of musical theater featuring music from composers around the country. This event will be live-streamed. Sun, 9/4, 2pm. Free. Recital Hall, Chico State, ARTS 279.

YURKOVIC: The Chico blues-rock trio is back. Sat, 9/3, 8:30pm. $5. Mulberry Station Brewing Company, 175 E. 20th St.

SUN4 Events

ALL MONTH Art & Museums

SAT24 Music

TUE13 Music NEGATIVLAND & SUE-C: Legendary sound collage group Negativland and live cinema visual artist SUE-C collaborate in a live audio-visual performance about our minds, the world we live in and the evolving forms of media and technology that orchestrate our perceptions. $25-$30. Tue, 9/13, 8pm. Pageant Theatre, 351 E. Sixth St. pag eantchico.com WED14 Music HIPPY HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 1. Thu, 9/15, 4pm. Free. Om on the Range, 301 Main St. TRIPLE TREE: Local reggae crew on the patio. Thu, 9/15, 5pm. La Salles, 229 Broadway. Submit events for the online calendar as well as the monthly print edition chico.newsreview.com/calendarat IS YOUR EVENT

THU22 Music

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Thu, 9/22, 7:30pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chico theater.com FRI23 Music DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/23, 5pm. Free. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. (530) 343-7718.

FRI16 Special Events COMEDY IS GAY: An LGBTQ comedy showcase. Headliner: Sac comedian Melissa McGillicuddy. Fri, 9/16, 9pm. $15. Gnarly Deli, 243 W. Second St. Music BLADE TRIP: The DJ’s theme for the night: “One Direction.” Fri, 9/16, 8pm. $12. Senator Theatre, 517 Main St. jmaxprodutions.net DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/16, 5pm. Free. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. (530) 343-7718.

HIPPY HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 1. Thu, 9/22, 4pm. Free. Om on the Range, 301 Main St.

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Sat, 9/24, 7:30pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

BLACK MAGNET & CAT DEPOT: Two-band local bill with noisemakers Black Magnet and loop-maker Cat Depot. Thu, 9/22, 8pm. Argus Bar + Patio, 212 W. Second St.

BAD BUNNY: DJ party at the Senator. Sat, 9/17, 8pm. $12. Senator Theatre, 517 Main St. jmaxproductions.net

TYLER DEVOLL: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/9. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway. lasalleschico.com WATER TOWER: Live music. Fri, 9/9, 6pm. Secret Trail Brewing Company, 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120. Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Fri, 9/9, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org SAT10 Events

BORGORE: Israeli EDM producer at the Senator. Sat, 9/24, 8pm. $23.50. Senator Theatre, 517 Main St. jmaxproductions.net O.B.E.: Music for brunch. Sat, 9/24, 11am. La Salles, 229 Broadway St. lasalleschico.com

LOW FLYING BIRDS & DYLAN’S ALBUM-RELEASEDHARMASHOWS Sept. 9 & Sept. 10 Om on the Range & Tackle Box

TUE20 Events

STRIZZO & PETEY PABLO: North Carolina rapper Petey Pablo and producer Strizzo at the Box. Sat, 9/24, 8pm. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com Theater

DYLAN’S DHARMA CD RELEASE: Fresh from a tour with local reggae legends Black Uhuru, the local party crew celebrates its new recording. Sat, 9/10, 9pm. $10. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. KOOL & THE GANG: Get down on it at Gold Country. Kool and the funky disco gang are still at it. $45$85. Sat, 9/10, 7pm. Gold Country Casino Resort 4020 Olive Hwy, Oroville. LANDERS DRIFTERS: Music for brunch Sat, 9/10, 11am. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway. TH’ LOSIN STREAKS: The Sacramento garage punk band along with locals Similar Alien and others TBA. Sat, 9/10, 9pm. $10. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. YULTRON: Rave DJ. Sat, 9/10, 10pm. El Rey Theater, 230 W. Second St. elreychico.com Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sat, 9/10, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org SUN11 Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sun, 9/11, 2pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

Theater

RAINBOW GIRLS & SEAN HAYES: Visiting folk artists from the North Bay. $22. Fri, 9/23, 8pm. Argus Bar + Patio, 212 W. Second St. eventbrite.com Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Fri, 9/23, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr. org

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT: Live local music in the downtown plaza. This week: Chico Latin Oquestra. Fri, 9/16, 7pm. City Plaza, downtown Chico. TYLER DEVOLL: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/16. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway St. lasalleschico.com Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Fri, 9/16, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sat, 9/24, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

LOCOMOTIVE: Live music on the patio. Thu, 9/22, 5pm. La Salles, 229 Broadway. Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sat, 9/22, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

WORD CHURCH: A spoken word poetry open mic. Sign up to perform from 6-6:30pm. $3 suggested donation at the door. Mon, 9/12, 6:30pm. Free. 1078 Gallery, 1710 Park Ave. Music BASSMINT: Dance to bass music every second Saturday night. Sat, 9/10, 9pm. Om on the Range, 301 Main St.

SAT17 Music

PESADO: Grammy/Latin Grammy-award winners. $59-$109. Sat, 9/24, 8pm. Gold Country Casino & Hotel, 4020 Olive Highway, Oroville. goldcountrycasino.com

THU15 Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Thu, 9/15, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

SOMETHING ROTTEN: A comedic mash-up of 16th century Shakespeare and 21st century Broadway. Fri, 9/16, 7:30pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

SAMARIA QUARTET: Local singer and her crew of of ringers. Sat, 9/17, 6pm. Secret Trail Brewing Company, 132 Meyers St., Ste. 120.

SUN18 Music

WEST SIDE STORY: See Sept. 23. Sat, 9/24,

STEVEN SCHULTZ: Local singer/songwriter. Sun, 9/18, 3pm. Secret Trail Brewing Company, 132 Meyers St., Suite 120. Theater DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sun, 9/18, 2pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Sun 9/18, 2pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sat, 9/17, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Sat, 9/17, 7:30pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT: Live local music in the downtown plaza. This week: Off the Record. Fri, 9/23, 7pm. City Plaza. MANDY STACHOTA: Live music for happy hour. Fri, 9/23, 4pm. La Salles, 229 Broadway. lasalleschico.com

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 45 EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Fri, 9/23, 7:30pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

WEST SIDE STORY: California Regional Theatre presents one the most-loved musicals/love stories of all time, featuring score by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents. Shows through Oct. 9. Fri, 9/23, 7:30pm. $20-$35. Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

TWAIN TRIBUTE – THE SHANIA EXPERIENCE: Shania Twain cover band. Sat, 9/17, 9pm. $10. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com

LIVE?

A SYMPHONY OF HORROR: For the 100th anniversary of Nosfaratu, multi-instrumentalist quintet Invincible Czars perform a live original soundtrack along with the film. Tue, 9/20, 7pm. Pageant Theatre, 351 E. Sixth St. pageantchico.com

1078 SHOWMEMBERS2022 Sept. 16-Oct. 2 1078 Gallery

46 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 7:30pm. $20-$35. Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

TUE27 Music

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Sun, 9/25, 2pm. $22-$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

FRI30 Music

Theater

NORTH BAY BREEZE

EDITOR’S PICK

WEST SIDE STORY: See Sept. 23. Sun, 9/25, 2pm. $20-$35. Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

DRACULA - A MUSICAL WITH BITE: See Sept. 8. Sun, 9/25, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Theatre on the Ridge, 3735 Neal Road, Paradise. (530) 877-5760. totr.org

HIGH PULP: A seven-piece drawing on bebop, punk, shoegaze, hip-hop, electronic music and experimental jazz. Tue, 9/27, 8:30pm. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St.

DUFFY’S HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/30, 5pm. Free. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St. (530) 343-7718.

To chill on the patio behind Argus Bar, surrounded by ivy covered brick buildings under an evening sky, is one of the best ways to enjoy live music in Chico. Matthew Garcia, the promoter behind Outpatient Records, hosts the bulk of his eclectic calendar on the Argus patio and has a great one to kick of the fall season. Two folk visiting folk acts— Sonoma County troubadour Sean Hayes and Bodega Bay’s Rainbow Girls (“A gang of sweet angels punching you in the heart”)—both visit on Friday, Sept. 23 Rainbow Girls

WEST SIDE STORY: See Sept. 23. Fri, 9/30, 7:30pm. $20-$35. Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

WED28 Music DAKHABRAKHA: Chico Performances brings Ukrainian experimental folk trio to Laxson. $40. Wed, 9/28, 6:45pm. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State, (530) 898-6333. chico performances.com

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Fri, 9/30, 7:30pm. $22$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

WEST SIDE STORY: See Sept. 23. Thu, 9/39, 7:30pm. $20$35. Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. (800) 722-4522. crtshows.com

Events CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

SUN25 Music

TYLER DEVOLL: See Sept. 2. Fri, 9/30. Free. La Salles, 229 Broadway St. lasalleschico.com

REPO MAN COVER NIGHT: Local bands cover the punk soundtrack from Alex Cox’s 1984 sci-fi cult classic. Featuring Severance Package, Tite Nauts, Viking Skate Country, Jake & The Tightys and more. Sun, 9/25, 6pm. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St. Theater

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT: Live local music in the downtown plaza. This week: The Retrotones. Fri, 9/30, 7pm. City Plaza, downtown Chico. downtownchico.com

THU29 Music DYLAN’S DHARMA: Local reggae/rock crew on the patio. Thu, 9/29, 5pm. La Salles, 229 Broadway. HIPPY HAPPY HOUR: See Sept. 1. Thu, 9/29, 4pm. Free. Om on the Range, 301 Main St. Theater

SOMETHING ROTTEN: See Sept. 16. Thu, 9/29, 7:30pm. $22$25. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Ste. F. chicotheater.com

OVERTIME: The country-rap artist and his Blue Collar Soldiers Band at the Box. Fri, 9/30, 7pm. $20 Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave. tackleboxchico.com

Leave your troubles outside

The Twilight Zone, Blue Room Theatre (opens Sept. 9): Nick Anderson directs stage versions of “It’s a Good Life” and “The Fever” episodes of the classic sci-fi/horror TV series.

West Side Story, Center for the Arts (Sept. 23-Oct. 9): The Jets vs. The Sharks to the tunes of Bernstein and Sondheim! Presented by California Regional Theatre (CRT). Cabaret, Harlen Adams Theatre (Oct. 7-16): Matthew Teague Miller directs the student production of the musical set in Germany1920sthat he says is “timeless, but it is also timely. There are fascinating parallels to the depressed time [in which] it is set and the era in which we are currently living.”

48 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 SCENE

based on the opera La Bohème—of a group of struggling musicians living in New York City. We promise, it will be at least five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes until you get that song out of your head. Hogfather, Theatre on the Ridge (Nov. 3-20): Jerry Miller directs one of the only non-musicals of the season, a stage adaptation of a book in Terry Pratchett’s comic-fantasy Discworld series, this one starring the God/Santa-like Hogfather, Death, Death’s granddaughter and an assassin named Mr. Teatime.

Something Rotten, Chico Theater Co. (Sept. 16-Oct. 9): It’s Shakespeare vs. the Bottom brothers, who are endeavoring to create the world’s first musical.

Rent, First Street Theater (Oct. 27-Nov. 11): CRT presents the rock musical that tells the story—loosely

Evil Dead: The Musical, Birdcage Theatre (Oct. 27-Nov. 5): What could be added to the funny violence of the campy horror franchise to make it even better? Let the demons sing!

California RegionalTheatre First Street Theater (139 W. First St.) Center for the Arts (1475 East Ave.) (800)crtshows.com722-4522 Chico State, Department of Music and Theatre PAC 144, Chico State (530) www.csuchico.edu/muta898-5152 Chico Theater Company 166 Eaton Road (530) chicotheater.com894-3282

Blue Room Theatre 1005 W. First blueroomtheatrefacebook.com/St.

Birdcage Theatre 1740 Bird St., Oroville (530) birdcagetheatre.org282-5603

Headlined by Chico State’s production of Cabaret, this fall’s theater season in Butte County is made up almost entirely of itproductions.musicalCouldbethatthingsare a little tense out here in America? Maybe we all could stand to lose ourselves in a song? (Just not remembercompletely—that Cabaret is a metaphor for really, really bad times). Here’s what’s on the marquee in the coming months: Dracula: A Musical with Bite, Theatre on the Ridge (Sept. 8-25): A “gothic jukebox musical” with a stacked cast of local actors and musicians playing out a melodic version of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire SamanthaBenmusicalAmberAdapted/directedtale.byMillerwithdirectionbyRuttenburgandFrancis.

I f life is a cabaret, then yeah, sure, just go to the theater. Everything is beautiful in there—even the band! Taste that wine! Blow your horn!

Local theaters go heavy themusicalsonforfallseason it be that things are (Just not completely— is

Theatre on the Ridge 3735 Neal Road, Paradise (530) 877-5760totr.org by Jason Cassidy newsreview.comjasonc@

Another Night Before Christmas, Chico Theater Co. (Nov. 25-Dec. 18): Santa is staying the night, whether you want him to or not, in this modern holiday musical. Ω

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 49 Contact us today for a consultation! AWARENESS JOURNALISM Stories that move people.PUBLICATIONS AWARENESS JOURNALISM Stories that move people. PUBLICATIONS • Create social change • Elevate awareness • Simplify complex issues • Influence legislators • Increase enrollments • Raise dollars • Reach remote audiences Our customhavepublicationshelped LET US TELL YOUR STORY 916.498.1234 ext. 729 | nrpubs.com | pubs@newsreview.com We customcreatenewsprintpublicationsfeaturingrealpeopleinyourcommunity. Do you have a complex story that needs to be told? Do you need a credible way to get information out there?

Those are really the museum’s main goals.”

“People are always taken aback by something new, and that’s what we love to do … we love to present something new so it challenges people to think differently, and we love to educate people.

Sailors famously love ’em; nowadays, so do soccer moms. Walk into a coffeehouse, and you’re likely to find a barista with more art on one arm than the average biker gang. You might even find as much ink at a PTA meeting as you formerly would only in a prison yard. In the past few decades, tattoos have moved from society’s fringes to the mainstream. Along the way, the artwork has story and photos by Ken Smith kens@newsreview.com Preview: Tales of the Tattoo, through Oct. 9. Sept. 9, 6-9 p..m.: The Tattoos of Chico book signing, with live music by Empty Gate. Cost: $5 Sept. 17, noon-7 p.m.: street party outside the museum, with live mural painting, music, “crochet jam” and more. Museum of CaliforniaNorthernArt 900 (530)Esplanade487-7272monca.org gained its due respect. For evidence, one need look no further than the current exhibit at Chico’s Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA), Tales of the Tattoo. “They’re pretty popular right now, and it’s a different art form than anything we’ve had here at MONCA before,” said Pat Macias, the museum’s executive director. During a tour on the exhibit’s opening day (Aug. 25), she added that anyone who questions the showcase’s focus will change their mind when they see it.

Bodyof

MONCA celebrates contemporary art of tattooing

50 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 SCENE

The multimedia exhibit features the work of more than 20 artists and includes sculptures, photography, paintings, handmade tattoo machines and much more. In line with the education goal, MONCA includes information about the cultural and historical value of tattoos and other body art, in America and in other societies. There are also interactive aspects, like a wall of outlines of popular tattoo motifs (a heart, an anchor, a snake, a rose—typical “flash” designs found on the walls of most parlors) that museum-goers can Clockwise from far left: “Siren,” a life-size sculpture resembling a ship’s figurehead, is artist Sharon Swingle’s statement on the fight for women’s equality; detail of “Siren”; a flash-style design on the interactive paint wall; Julianna Rose’s “The Illustrated Man” shows off his ink.

artwork

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 51 paint however they like.

Tales of the Tattoo, which runs until Oct. 9, kicked off Aug. 26 with an opening reception titled “Show Up and Show Off.” For that event, the museum’s library was transformed into a tattoo parlor so attendees could watch local artist Tanner Drake practice his craft. This effort, which Macias hoped would be “particularly interesting for people who’ve never seen it done before,” required museum staff to meet strict health department requirements. A photo booth was set up inviting attendees to show off their own body art, tag the museum and post their pictures to social media. Two more events will be held this month in conjunction with the exhibit. Sept. 9, the museum will host a panel and book-signing featuring Karen McHenry, author of The Tattoos of Chico (2020), which features 19 locals talking about and showing off their body art. There will be a bar set up, and local band Empty Gate will perform. Sept. 17, E. Washington Avenue (on MONCA’s south side) will be closed noon to 7 p.m. for a street party. This event will feature live painting by a local tattoo artist, a “crochet jam” with Bay Area artist Ramekon O’Arwisters along with other demonstrations and activities. Visitors can purchase temporary tattoos (“People might want to try one out before they dive in,” Macias joked), including some featuring MONCA logos: the official red, yellow and blue design, plus two others designed by local students. Macias said readying the exhibit has been “eye opening” and expressed heartfelt appreciation for the art form, prompting a question: “Are you inked?” “No, I don’t have any tattoos,” she replied, “but boy, it is tempting.”

Ω

MONCA offeatureparlor.um’sstandsDirectorExecutivePatMaciasinthemuse-library/tattooTheexhibitwillabooksigningTheTattoosofChicobyKarenMcHenryonSept.9(seeinfobox).Acollectionofhomemadetattoomachines,includ-ingareplicaofajailhousemodel.

boundaries

In 1996, French auteur Olivier Assayas made a feature film called Irma Vep with a cat-suited Maggie Cheung starring in the title role. It was a comic drama about the making of a of“remake”aclassic of French cinema, Louis Feuillade’s Les Vampires, a 1915-16 serial featuring a cat-suited lady villain named Irma Vep (played with balletic and darkly angelic grace by the legendary Musidora).

Ω Left: Irma Vep Below: Nope

52 CN&R SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

The new Irma Vep series currently playing on HBO is Assayas’ remake of the remake, this time as eight hour-long episodes with Alicia Vikander in the title role— or, rather, in the role of the actor who plays the title role in the remake. As in the previous version, she emerges as an unexpectedly dynamic creative force in getting the beleaguered production into completed form. And she also finds herself somewhat overtaken by the character she’s playing, which results in some clandestine Irma Vep-like adventures with cast and crew in their off-hours. The result is a species of intricately comical backstage drama, which slides, quite casually, into scenes of Feuillade-style fantasy, most of which proves fascinating, provocative, and—at times—quite moving.Assayas keeps things moving freely among a rather rollicking set of segments: scenes from the work in progress, beautifully preserved excerpts from Feuillade’s silent-era original, scenes from the autobiography of Musidora (with Vikander and other cast members playing the releases push of preconception roles), an assortment of backstage episodes and after-hours vignettes, etc.Vincent Macaigne is a seriocomic delight as the remake’s grungily erratic director (Jean-Pierre Léaud had that role in the 1996 version), and in the Musidora sequences, he plays Feuillade as a fastidiously unapproachable eccentric. His performance and Vikander’s are reason enough to see this series/ film, but there’s a fine, large supporting cast (including Hippolyte Girardot, Pascal Greggory, Jeanne Balibar, Carrie Brownstein, Alex Descas and a hilariously obnoxious Lars Eidinger) as well. And Assayas’ multifaceted concoctions are post-modern entertainment of the first order. I came out of a matinee screening of Nope saying it was the most fun I could remember having at a sci-fi/ horror film. I still feel that way but hasten to add that a great deal of that “fun” has everything to do with the ways writer-director Jordan Peele’s feisty genre hybrid layers in so much besides those generic tropes. It’s also a comedy and a western. It has the mother of all “flying saucers,” and it has a hip-hop heroine. It has a hero on horseback, but the guy with the cowboy hat is a former child actor who runs a glitzy Wild West theme park. It has Black history and the history of cinematography mixed in as well. The key characters are people of color, and its desert settings are part of what makes it a richly evocative take on several varieties of Southern California “culture.” Nope is post-modern entertainment of a high order. Back on the Home Screen, we’re bingeing Longmire, via Netflix. I had seen and liked episodes from the first two seasons of the series, which ultimately ran for six seasons (2012-17). Somehow I didn’t stick with it back then, but now— four seasons in—I’m liking it more than ever. It is based on Craig Johnson’s series of western-style detective novels, in which the eponymous Longmire is a small-town sheriff who wears a cowboy hat but hasn’t much use for uniforms. Longmire shines as a modern western, a police story in which the mythic Old West runs smack up against the realities and contradictions of the New West. Walt Longmire himself (Robert Taylor) is something of a lone hero type, but the stories put empathetic focus on a considerable array of personal dramas and social entanglements. These involve Longmire’s deputies (including three played by Katee Sackhoff, Adam Bartley and Bailey Chase), the widowed sheriff’s daughter (a bright-eyed law school graduate played by Cassidy Freeman), Longmire’s office manager (Ruby, played by Louanne Stephens) and Longmire’s sardonically aging predecessor (played by Peter Weller, who directed five episodes). Just as crucially, since a Cheyenne reservation adjoins Longmire’s jurisdiction, it involves a host of Native American characters including a combative entrepreneur (A Martinez), the reservation lawman (Zahn McClarnon), a corrupt ex-lawman (Graham Greene) and, most importantly of all, Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), proprietor of the Red Pony saloon and Longmire’s closest friend since childhood.Existential uncertainties, moral ambiguities, spiritual crisscrossings, intimations of mortality and much else shimmer in the vicinity of these stories. It’s an old, reliable kind of storytelling that seeks out comforts and contentment but remains wary of anything that smacks of total comfort or pure bliss.

REEL WORLD by Juan-CarlosSelznick

Infinity mirrors Stunning new

A memorial for Grover will take place Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. at Campfire Council Ring in Bidwell Park.The following month saw another local great go down. Aug. 21, longtime local arts supporter Reed Applegate died after a reported heart attack. He was 79. Applegate was perhaps best known in recent years as one of the early benefactors of the Museum of Northern California Art, gifting large number of pieces to MONCA’s permanent collection. A recognizable figure around town, the lifelong Chicoan was a patron of many of Chico’s arts institutions, including the North State Symphony, Chico Community Ballet and The Turner print museum.There will be a special tribute honoring Applegate at MONCA’s Works from the Beginning and Beyond show (Oct. 13-23), an exhibit that will focus on works from the museum’s permanent collection.

Reed Applegate Repo Man Dan Grover

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 53 ARTS DEVO by JASON CASSIDY • jasonc@newsreview.com MOVIES AND MUSIC, AND MOVIE MUSIC

FAREWELL TO TWO LOCAL ICONS Last month, after the paper’s press deadline, I got the word that Chico lost one of its brightest souls. Dan Grover died on July 27. He was 59. Those locals who attend the many concerts and festivals in Nor Cal, have seen Grover a lot. He’s been one of the most visible music fanatics in Chico, and as a man confined to a wheelchair at an early age due debilitating muscular dystrophy, he devoted much of his life to helping others in his situation have the chance to see the shows. In fact, See The Show is the name of the business he started with the goal of working with promoters as an ADA accessibility coordinator/consultant to ensure everyone has a clear line of sight to performers on stage. Friend to many, Grover was beloved by his community, many of whom have been opening their hearts on social media. Here’s a snippet from Grace Senoglu: “There will never be another you, but your magic and the impact you made on every single person you loved will stay with us forever. You were, and will always be, the LIFE of the party.”

I have no recollection of how I came into a copy of Escape From Noise, S.F. experimental band Negativland’s 1987 damaged-pop sound collage, but I know that repeated listenings of the cassette did things to 18-year-old me. It’s one of the handful of unexpected sparks of weirdness introduced during my teens that made me burn for something Negativlanddifferent.haspersisted with its various sonic pranks for more than four decades’ worth of avant-garde social commentary, and its latest project has the band coming to Chico! Sept. 13 (8 p.m.), Negativland will be at the Pageant Theatre to collaborate with “real-time cinema” artist SUE-C on We Can Really Feel Like We’re Here, a live audio/live cinema performance. Tickets are $25 ($30 at the door) and available at pageantchico.com. And that’s just one of three film-music mashups on the September calendar. Also at the Pageant, Sept. 20, the Austin, Texas, instrumental crew The Invincible Czars returns to town to perform a live soundtrack along with the silent vampire classic Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror Last, Sept. 25 at the Naked Lounge, it’s Repo Man, a cover night presented by Josh Indar’s KZFR radio show, “Eve of Destruction.” Local bands Tite Nauts, Severance Package, Jake & The Tightys, Ken the Revelator, Tom Little and more will make the punk soundtrack to Alex Cox’s 1984 cult classic come back to life.

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time,” said philosopher Bertrand Russell. I will add that the time you enjoy wasting is often essential to your well-being. For the sake of your sanity and health, you periodically need to temporarily shed your ambitions and avoid as many of your responsibilities as you safely can. During these interludes of refreshing emptiness, you recharge your precious life energy. You become like a fallow field allowing fertile nutrients to regenerate. In my astrological opinion, now is one of these revitalizing phases for you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Blogger Scott Williams writes, “There are two kinds of magic. One comes from the heroic leap, the upward surge of energy, the explosive arc that burns bright across the sky. The other kind is the slow accretion of effort: the water-on-stone method, the soft root of the plant that splits the sidewalk, the constant wind that scours the mountain clean.” Can you guess which type of magic will be your specialty in the coming weeks, Leo? It will be the laborious, slow accretion of effort. And that is precisely what will work best for the tasks that are most important for you to accomplish.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Author Zadie Smith praised Sagittarian writer Joan Didion. She says, “I remain grateful for the day I picked up Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem and realized that a woman could speak without hedging her bets, without hemming and hawing, without making nice, without sounding pleasant or sweet, without deference, and even without doubt.” I encourage Sagittarians of every gender to be inspired by Didion in the coming weeks. It’s a favorable time to claim more of the authority you have earned. Speak your kaleidoscopic wisdom without apology or dilution. More fiercely than ever before, embody your high ideals and show how well they work in the rhythms of daily life.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “My own curiosity and interest are insatiable,” wrote Cancerian author Emma Lazarus (1849–1887). Inspired by the wealth of influences she absorbed, she created an array of poetry, plays, novels, essays and translations—including the famous poem that graces the pedestal of America’s Statue of Liberty. I recommend her as a role model for you in the coming weeks, Cancerian. I think you’re ripe for an expansion and deepening of your curiosity. You will benefit from cultivating an enthusiastic quest for new information and fresh influences. Here’s a mantra for you: “I am wildly innocent as I vivify my soul’s education.”

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 CN&R 55 ARIES (March 21-April 19): In his poem “Autobiographia Literaria,” Aries-born Frank O’Hara wrote, “When I was a child, I played in a corner of the schoolyard all alone. If anyone was looking for me, I hid behind a tree and cried out, ‘I am an orphan.’” Over the years, though, O’Hara underwent a marvelous transformation. This is how his poem ends: “And here I am, the center of all beauty! Writing these poems! Imagine!” In the coming months, Aries, I suspect that you, too, will have the potency to outgrow and transcend a sadness or awkwardness from your own past. The shadow of an old source of suffering may not disappear completely, but I bet it will lose much of its power to diminish you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As a Scorpio, novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky was rarely guilty of oversimplification. Like any intelligent person, he could hold contradictory ideas in his mind without feeling compelled to seek more superficial truths. He wrote, “The causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.” I hope you will draw inspiration from his example in the coming weeks, dear Scorpio. I trust you will resist the temptation to reduce colorful mysteries to straightforward explanations. There will always be at least three sides to every story. I invite you to relish glorious paradoxes and fertile enigmas.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn novelist Marcia Douglas writes books about the history of her people in Jamaica. In one passage, she writes, “My grandmother used to tell stories about women that change into birds and lizards. One day, a church-going man dared to laugh at her; he said it was too much for him to swallow. My grandmother looked at him and said, ‘I bet you believe Jesus turned water into wine.’” My purpose in telling you this, Capricorn, is to encourage you to nurture and celebrate your own fantastic tales. Life isn’t all about reasonableness and pragmatism. You need myth and magic to thrive. You require the gifts of imagination and art and lyrical flights of fancy. This is especially true now. To paraphrase David Byrne, now is a perfect time to refrain from making too much sense.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): To be the best Aquarius you can be in the coming weeks, I suggest the following: 1. Zig when others zag. Zag when others zig. 2. Play with the fantasy that you’re an extraterrestrial who’s engaged in an experiment on planet Earth. 3. Be a hopeful cynic and a cheerful skeptic. 4. Do things that inspire people to tell you, “Just when I thought I had you figured out, you do something unexpected to confound me.” 5. Just for fun, walk backward every now and then. 6. Fall in love with everything and everyone: a D-List celebrity, an oak tree, a neon sign, a feral cat.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A blogger who calls herself HellFresh writes, “Open and raw communication with your partners and allies may be uncomfortable and feel awkward and vulnerable, but it solves so many problems that can’t be solved any other way.” Having spent years studying the demanding arts of intimate relationship, I agree with her. She adds, “The idea that was sold to us is ‘love is effortless and you should communicate telepathically with your partner.’ That’s false.” I propose, Pisces, that you fortify yourself with these truths as you enter the Reinvent Your Relationships Phase of your astrological cycle. Rob

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Now that I’m free to be myself, who am I?” Virgo-born Mary Oliver asks that question to start one of her poems. She spends the rest of the poem speculating on possible answers. At the end, she concludes she mostly longs to be an “empty, waiting, pure, speechless receptacle.” Such a state of being might work well for a poet with lots of time on her hands, but I don’t recommend it for you in the coming weeks. Instead, I hope you’ll be profuse, active, busy, experimental and expressive. That’s the best way to celebrate the fact that you are now freer to be yourself than you have been in a while.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 BY ROB BREZSNY www.RealAstrology.com for

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In his poem “Auguries of Innocence,” William Blake (1757–1827) championed the ability “to see a World in a Grain of Sand. And a Heaven in a Wild Flower. Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, Taurus, you are primed to do just that in the coming days. You have the power to discern the sacred in the midst of mundane events. The magic and mystery of life will shine from every little thing you encounter. So I will love it if you deliver the following message to a person you care for: “Now I see that the beauty I had not been able to find in the world is in you.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In her book Tales From Earthsea, Libra-born Ursula K. Le Guin wrote, “What goes too long unchanged destroys itself. The forest is forever because it dies and dies and so lives.” I trust you’re embodying those truths right now. You’re in a phase of your cycle when you can’t afford to remain unchanged. You need to enthusiastically and purposefully engage in dissolutions that will prepare the way for your rebirth in the weeks after your birthday. The process might sometimes feel strenuous, but it should ultimately be great fun.