They were bound to find out sooner or later, or How I lost two gigs in one week

The following is a transcription of a telephone conversation that may or may not have occurred between myself and Website Mistress Doni Greenberg.

(Phone rings…)

Philbert: Hello?

Doni: Hello? Phil? This is Doni Greenberg.

P: Oh. Hi, Doni.

D: Phil, tomorrow is Monday and you…

Kelly Brewer, now and Zen

Yes, as a matter of fact, this is a photo of Kelly Brewer, former editor of the Record Searchlight. Doesn’t she look marvelous?

Gosh, what do you know, there Kelly is again, on the masthead with me.

See how happy we look…

When downtown destruction is a good thing

Get a good look at the roof on The Mall in Downtown Redding. It’s about to undergo a major make-over that will begin with some long overdue demolition to begin its beautification.

As you might recall, the Redding Redevelopment Agency awarded…

Story’s just begun for Shasta High paper

Dear Shasta High School newspaper students,

You have my deepest sympathies regarding the death of the Shasta High Volcano, your school newspaper.

I’m also saddened to hear that your MIA adviser allowed you to take the heat for a few students’ controversial…

When high food prices get you down

The price for a gallon of whole milk costs just as much lately as a gallon of regular gasoline.

In some ways, rising food prices are more problematic. I can live without gasoline. I can’t live without food.

I used to enjoy grocery shopping. Now it’s so expensive that…

Nature’s little helpers

I absolutely adore my Julia Child roses. Each bloom is a petal-packed butter-colored beauty. Julia Child roses have a heavenly faintly spicy anise scent. What a delightful way to honor one of my favorite American cooks. 

The thing is, aphids adore my Julia Child roses, too. Last month they…

Yikes! Dancing with the Stars: 32 days

Did I really agree to Dancing with the Stars in December? 

Yes, I did. I figured that although I was overweight, out of shape and uncoordinated, this was the year I was already way out of my comfort zone, what with my “departure” from my newspaper…

The Mall’s Independence Day is nearly here

Yesterday was a very good day for those of us who’ve complained about The Mall in Redding for nearly as long as we can remember.

Thursday afternoon was the deadline for contractors to bid on Phase II of The Mall construction project in downtown Redding.

J.B. Excavating Inc. owned by Jim Baker, of Redding-based Jaxon Enterprises, is the apparent winner.

Bugs galore

Igo is a buggy place. When guests leave our place at night, we know better than to stand there and talk with the door open.

Instead, we open the door just enough to rush everyone through. We dash outside behind them to say our goodbyes far away from the porch lights and bugs.

Win-River floats
scaled-down plan

Win-River Casino’s super-luxurious, highly ambitious $90-million expansion plan could become a more scaled-down model, confirmed Gary Hayward, the casino’s general manager.

During our Tuesday-morning telephone conversation, Hayward said the proposed 1,000-space parking structure is but one blue-print component slated for a second look. 

In May 2007 Win Riverfirst announced its expansion news after the bi-annual State of the…