Lt. Jaclyn Cuevas Trosper awarded Nurse of The Month
UPDATE: 10/29/2014 Lt. Trosper returns to U.S. soil in a very emotional and heart warming reception from her family. She was due to come home sooner but was delayed after a knee injury with a complete tear in her ACL during combat training. Here is the post on facebook and video of her homecoming at the airport.
Recently we posted a story in the Petaluma Magazine about NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit hospital team that saved the life of a Romanian Soldier at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. On March 30, 2014 this soldier suffered what would be fatal injuries after being struck by an IED. The blast resulted in the death of another soldier and critically wounding four others who suffered from various injuries. What interested us about this article was a #Petaluman Lt. J.C. Trosper, aka Jaclyn Cuevas Trosper, is an intensive care unit and trauma nurse who was quoted in that article. It was her team that worked to save the life of this soldier. This week Lt. Trosper received nurse of the month award by her commanding officer.
You may have already seen the new mural created by Maxfield Bala that has gained attention recently. Maxfield and Andrew Bala just created a video now available on YouTube and Vimeo that shows Maxfield create the artwork with a time elapse and him working of scaffolding.
The mural is 20 ft. tall and 40 ft. wide and it is visible from East Washington in downtown near the bridge and Water street. This had to be a challenge for the artist because the surface, or Maxfield’s canvas so to speak, twisted and uneven corrugated metal. The finishing piece would not make you suspect the surface was uneven.
Here is the recent video posted on YouTube.
For more information about Maxfield’s work go to his website Maxfieldbala.com. Here are some photos taken by Positively Petaluma.
The streets of Petaluma were packed today with visitors from all around the county for the 2014 Petaluma Art & Garden Festival. The music, food, wine and beer were awesome and from local Petaluma businesses. Here is a short video on today’s event.
Here are some pictures of today’s event. If you missed this event this year, don’t next year. Some of the chalk art was fantastic. Everyone young and old had a fantastic time.
You may have been wondering, what is all that activity going on across from the feed mill downtown. There was about 40 people working under several tents surrounded by wood material. Over the sound of hammers, nail guns, and saws people were busily communicating and working in concert to build something. A woman stepped out of her car in front of me as I was looking on. I asked her what they were doing. She told me they were building the Burning Man Temple. I asked if it was “thee” Burning Man Temple? And she replied “Yes”. I was talking to Jules Mancilla, aka “Little Wing”, who seemed to be like a foreman on the job. However she told me that no one is really in charge. The people come together and work to build the structure. Burning Man is a week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada.
Past Year Temple Stickers: Photo By Wayne Dunbar
This is the first time this structure will be built in Petaluma. However it won’t be the first time this structure was built by a Petaluman. The man in charge is David Best from Petaluma. David started building the temple in the year 2000 and has become a legend for Burning Man attendees. Since then the event has grown so large that permits limit to sell 70,000 tickets that are sure to sell out and a lot of people will be disappointed that they will not be able to go. The pictures to the left are stickers of the past years temple’s affixed to his small Airstream trailer.
Jules Mancilla & David Best: Photo By Wayne Dunbar
The materials of this structure are all recycled or wood that had been discarded. Jules explained that it is all bare wood that cannot be finished or stained so it won’t emit fumes when they burn on the last day of the event. The cost of building this structure is purely by donations. You can donate any amount of money to help with this project by going to their Kickstarter campaign. Jules explained that no amount is too small – people donate small amounts and that is equally appreciated by all.
Jules Mancilla & Steve Crowe: Photo By Wayne Dunbar
The structure will take 14 days to build. Then after they build it, they tear it apart into sections. Several sections will be loaded on trucks and hauled to the event site. They will be the first ones on ground and will survey the land with GPS technology to determine where the structure will be placed. They put it back together, and then cover the outside with detailed skins to finish it off.
Photo By Wayne Dunbar
This structure was dedicated to one of the original builders of the structure who passed away in an accident. Since the dedication, many people who have lost loved ones volunteer to build the structure as they view it as a memorial. Also others look at the temple as a way to start a new life together, and couples get married on the structure during the event. So the temple has become more than just a pile of wood in the middle of the desert for a really big bonfire party. It is symbolic and has meaning for many.
Photo By Wayne Dunbar
Per Wikipedia the 2014 structure will be the Temple of Grace intended to be a spiritual and sacred space for memorials, reflection, celebration, and to commemorate life transitions. The structure incorporates a central interior dome within a graceful curved body made of wood and steel. It will again have intricately cut wooden panels for the exterior and interior skin. 8 altars will surround the temple inside a low-walled courtyard, creating a large exterior grounds for the community.
Photo By Wayne Dunbar
For weeks 40 to 65 volunteers will show up on any given day to work hours into building this structure. Young and old, carpenters, electricians, architects and people just walking off the street asking if they can help. The environment was one that everyone was working together and helping each other out for a common cause. Jules was talking to a taco truck vendor to see if they can be there all week as they have a lot of mouths to feed. He agreed to return for the entire week.
So this year when you see the Burning Man structure burning down on TV at the end of the event, you will know where it was build and what this structure means for a lot of people. Here is the video of their Kickstarter campaign.
As a former musician I had to watch closely to how Matt Bolton performs. After processing all that he does to create his music I was very impressed. I have to admit my first impression was – this guy has recorded tracks for his background music – WRONG! I am usually very impressed with artists like Geddy Lee of Rush who sings, plays bass, organ bass foot pedals, and keyboards at the same time. That would be too simple for Matt. Geddy would have to get rid of Neal Peart and play the acoustics as well to keep up with him.
Matt has toured with bands like Todd Rundgren and Jesse Colin Young band (that I actually had the opportunity to play a few songs with at the Inn of the Beginning in Cotati many moons ago). Rundgren recently said “I knew Matt was a player – that’s why I hired him. But, it wasn’t until I a saw him do his own thing that I realized what an entertainer he is.”according to the Kauai Music Scene.
This solo artist from the Island of Kauai tours nationally and plays several genres of music using guitars, bass guitars, drums, keyboards, piano, saxophone, violin, mandolin, slide guitar, ukelele, banjo, percussion, dobro and yes, he does the singing too. Matt was kind enough to dedicate this song to Positively Petaluma in this video we produced.
On December 26, 2013 the Argus Courier covered the story Families Bonded Through Organ Donation. As a follow-up to that story, the SFGate reports today in a story New pancreas saved her son; now she’s returning the favor. Today#Petaluma’s Janice MacKinnon will be donating here kidney to the father who donated his deceased son’s organs that helped to save the life of Janice’s son Jake.
If you missed this story, over 10 years ago after the death of their son Kalem, the Millard family donated his organs. The recipient would be Petaluman Jake MacKinnon, who then was 19 and suffering from diabetes, received Kalem’s pancreas.
In a strange twist of fate, the MacKinnon’s years later wanted to thank the Millards. The recipients of an organ donor can send a letter that protects both parties privacy. In it the MacKinnons requested their contact information. The Millards responded with their contact information.
Since then the MacKinnon’s and the Millards have become close friends. Jake is now 29 and engaged to be married. However Bill Millard, Kalem’s father, was suffering from kidney disease and needed a kidney donor. It turns out that Janice MacKinnon, Jake’s mother, was a perfect match. Today Janice will give her kidney to Bill in this incredible story.
Carolina Chocolage Drops with Mentor Joe Thompson: Photo by Audiolog
Recently backstage at the Petaluma Mystic Theater, reporter Mirissa Neff interviewed Dom Flemons and Rhiannon Giddens of the band Carolina Chocolate Drops. Sound Tracks, Music Without Borders is a PBS TV Show produced with KQED in San Francisco. Footage includes the Mystic theater and portions of their performance there.
In this interview you will learn how Dom and Rhiannon met at the 2005 black banjo gathering in North Carolina where they met their mentor, the late Joe Thompson, who the New York Times credits as a musician who helped preserve the black string band.
If you have ever been in the loft at the Lagunitas Brewing Company, its hard not to recognize the signature paneling backdrop for this video. Karl Denson films his music video in what seem like the perfect venue for this notable artist. Denson played saxaphone in Grammy Winner Lenny Kravitz band. According to Wikipedia Kravitz met saxophonistDenson and invited him to play on the song, “Let Love Rule.” Kravitz was so impressed with his playing that Denson played on much of the album. Denson toured with Kravitz for the next five years.
According to Denson’s website this song is part of the lineup in Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe: Denson: Vocals, Sax & Flute; Chris Littlefield: Trumpet; Max MacVeety: Drums; Chris Stillwell: Bass; David Veith: Keyboards; DJ Williams: Guitar. This video also features local singer Nicki Bluhm who plays in Brokedown in Bakersfield which is a feature band for the upcoming Petaluma Music Festival.
Just outside of Tres Hombres last night I ran into the very talented Nate Lopez. You will note this 7 and 8 String Guitarist uses every aspect of the guitar to play base, rhythm and lead making him a one man band.
You can find more about Nate on his website, NateLopez.com and can follow him on twitter @natelopeztrio.
Click the video below to hear Nate’s cool jazzy sound in this original live performance of his song “Blackstro” dedicated to Positively Petaluma
Alison Tetrick is new to Petaluma, but not to the lifestyle. Growing up on a ranch she rode horses before bicylces. It was when she was a triathlete that her passion would turn to cycling. Five years ago something clicked and she realized she was made to ride. After each competition Alison looks forward to coming home to Petaluma and enjoying her surroundings. Alison rides for the TWENTY16 Pro Cycling Team in Marin County. At the end of this interview, you will see a list of her accomplishments, and find out why she made “Carmichael List” which for cyclists is like receiving an Academy Award.
Wayne: Your bio says you grew up on a ranch and rode horses before you rode bikes. What lessons did you learn from growing up on a ranch that you practice in your life today?
Alison: I was born in Solvang, California, and grew up on a ranch outside of Los Alamos, California until my family moved to a ranch outside of Redding, California in 1998. Living outside of “town” created an irreplaceable relationship with my family because we relied on each other for everything. My sister and I used our imaginations to create entertainment far beyond any television or movie could provide. I learned the value of hard work and that success in life doesn’t come easily, but it comes from dreaming bigger than the sky and working hard to achieve those dreams. My sister is my very best friend, and I think we have a very close relationship because of our childhood on the ranch.
Wayne: Do you have any interesting stories to share about growing up on a ranch?
Alison: I learned how to ride a horse long before I learned to ride a bike. I would have to crawl up on the fence to reach the stir-ups to get on the horse. I remember rounding up the cows on the ranch and how it was a family affair. We all had specific jobs, and even though I was young, I always felt my job was just as important. By working together, the family could keep the ranch running optimally. Sometimes my jobs would be as simple as feeding the chickens, or checking on the water, but looking back, these were all lessons in toughness, responsibility, and family.
