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…

Thom G., Outdoors editor, accepts another job

Someone outside the newspaper forwarded me the following e-mail Record Searchlight editor Silas Lyons sent staff on Friday about Thom Gabrukiewicz, the paper’s Outdoors section creator and editor:

“Thom G let us know this morning that he has accepted a job in Sioux Falls, S.D. with the Argus Leader.

Memorial Day

We at Food for Thought thank and recognize all our veterans for their service and sacrifice. Today many of us will display American flags in honor and remembrance of our country’s veterans: Grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, acquaintances, sons and daughters. 

 I…

Zero precinct instinct

I took it all for granted when I voted. Everything.

How the fire station or school gym or wherever was transformed into a polling place.

Somebody did it.

How the voting machines were set up so no tampering was possible and my vote…

More Movies!

Here’s how it used to work, long ago and far away:

Want to go to a movie?

Sure. What do you want to see?

I don’t know. What’s good? What time do you want to go?

I don’t know. Let’s check the newspaper. Where is the newspaper?

We don’t subscribe, remember?

Oh yeah.

The newspaper wasn’t much help anyway. It just showed times and titles.

Remembering

Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Improve Memory 

“Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts may improve the ability to create and maintain memories properly, according to a new study from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. 
Published in…

Grapefruit, the great fruit

I credit my mother, a non-cook, for my love of citrus maxima, better known as grapefruit.

(I also credit my mother with my love of anchovies, rare steak, bleu cheese, and the strongest coffee, flavored with cream and sugar. My three sisters and…