#Petaluma’s Leo Laporte Revives ‘New’ Screen Savers on TWiT’s 10th Anniversary

Leo Laporte surprised everyone on Sunday when he turned TWiT’s 10-year anniversary into a revival launch of the show Screen Savers, the original show that pushed TWiT into stardom. According to the TWiT website yesterday:

We are thrilled to announce that we will launch The New Screen Savers on May 2, 2015. The New Screen Savers will be a weekly, tech-themed variety show that reinvents the format for the modern age. Each hour-long episode will feature help and how-to segments, insight on the latest tech innovations, products, and trends, plus lots of fun surprises.

Every week, Leo Laporte will be joined by an array of TWiT contributors, including original “Screen Saver” Megan Morrone (née Olesky), Mike Elgan, Jason Howell, Father Robert Ballecer, and Bryan Burnett. Some episodes will also feature guest co-hosts from the original show, including Patrick Norton, Kate Botello, Kevin Rose, and more.

The New Screen Savers will record live, every Saturday at 3PM Pacific onlive.twit.tv. It will be made available for download and streaming later that evening at twit.tv/tnss.

In and interview with ZDNet Leo said “This is not something I would have tried even a couple years ago,” and went on to say “But we’ve built this infrastructure over time to be able to do what is essentially a broadcast show over the internet.”

The show will be filmed at the TWiT Brickhouse studios in Petaluma, California with a set that was used for the original show. He plans to bring back guests from his original show who were on his 10th Anniversary show, but didn’t know about the launch – they too were all surprised and had no idea this was going to happen when they came out to Petaluma this week.

Also in the ZDNet interview TWiT CEO Lisa Laporte said, “Leo built TWiT because he wanted to capture the magic of ‘The Screen Savers,’ and after ten years of building his vision, we decided it was time to launch our very own variety show. We couldn’t resist naming it, ‘The New Screen Savers.'”

Here is a video they released on YouTube to announce the launch of the New Screen Savers.

via The New Screen Savers: TWiT resurrects the show that launched tech video into the stratosphere | ZDNet.

CLICK PAGE 2 BELOW TO SEE THE BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO FOR THE VIDEO YOU JUST WATCHED

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Attention #Petaluma Non-Profits! Can an Extra $10,000 Help Your Cause?

Petaluma: Apply Today for Playmaker Grants!

The 50 Fund was developed to make Super Bowl 50 the most philanthropic ever. San Francisco Bay Area non-profits will recieve 50 Playmaker grants – all you have to do is apply for them.

What is a Playmaker grant? the program provides $10,000 grants to community-based organizations with a passionate advocate and a specific, compelling need for funds to provide an immediate community impact. How many Petaluma grantees would you like to see chosen? Even if we got a few that’s $20,000 infused into our area’s programs. If you are a larger non-profit there are also Game Changer grants for $500,000.

The next round of applications will open May 5, 2015

Here is the information from their website:

The opportunity

Projects must help close the opportunity gap for low-income children, youth, and young adults (birth-24) and will be considered from any of the three of 50 Fund’s focus areas —Youth Development, Community Investment, and Sustainable Environment. In addition, each applicant must nominate an individual, affiliated with the organization, whose passion and service makes them a “playmaker” in their community. A video showcasing both the organization and advocate will be produced for each grantee. A total of 50 Playmaker grants will be awarded. Grantees will be announced, one grantee per week, every Tuesday, beginning March 3, 2015.

Click here for a list of non-profits on the Petaluma Downtown Association Website.

Click here to view the non-profits from the City of Petaluma’s website (unfortunately it appears that has not been updated for 3 years).

Category Definitions (Does your non-profit or someone you know that has a non-profit fit into these categories?):

Youth Development – Providing children, youth and young adults (ages 0-24) living in low-income communities with the educational, recreational and social-emotional supports they need to put them on the path to success.

Community Investment – Nurturing the health, well-being and livelihoods of young people and their families through investments in the economic, social and physical infrastructure of their communities.

Sustainable Environments – Building the resiliency of communities by enhancing the connectivity between residents and the natural environment that surrounds them.

CLICK ON PAGE 2 TO LEARN WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT

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Find That Perfect Something at #Petaluma’s Spring Antique Faire

“Antique” is of a latin origin “Ante” meaning before, and “Anticus” or “Antiquus” meaning former or ancient. “Antiquing” is action verb for the word Antique and means the process of making something old OR someone who “shops ’til they drop for cool old stuff”, and must find that unique piece that no other store has (not even Amazon or eBay) and must have it for your hutch, nook, porch, garden, entry way or favorite antique collection. As you are aware the high-tech revolution has born with it new words like SoLoMo or De-dupe. We decided to come up a new retro word of our own. It’s “Lumantiquing”. The word “Luma” is the latin word for the coolest historic down town on the west coast, and – – well you know the rest. So Lumantiquing is the process of getting out your sunscreen and tape measure and heading to PetaLUMA for the Spring Antique Faire where thousands will come together on April 26 to shop for antiques in our quaint historic downtown. Why do we call it a ‘Faire’ and not a ‘Fair’? Faire is simply the old fashioned spelling for Fair and pairs well with the word ‘antique’.

The Antique Faire happens twice a year – this year 2015 the Spring Faire is just a day following the Butter & Egg Days parade on Sunday April 26 (See our recent post Which Came First—the Butter or the Egg?), and the Fall Faire will be Sunday September 27th (Mark Your Calendar). In past years this event has exceeded 10,000 visitors and shoppers. Marie McCusker, Executive Director of the Petaluma Downtown Association, said this week that the Petaluma’s faire is ranked in the top 100 in the United States for antique faires.

CLICK TO PAGE TWO TO FIND OUT WHAT PROMINENT VISITORS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE PETALUMA ANTIQUE FAIRE , SEE PHOTOS, AND WHAT TO WEAR

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What’s Going On In Petaluma This Week? Through April 25th

Butter & Egg Days Opening Ceremonies – Sat., April 18, Noon: Applaud and thank this year’s Grand Marshall and Good Egg as we celebrate our Fertile Ground! Takes place at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St.

Commemorative Flight of the last USAF Mustang –Sat., April 18, 11am: At the Petaluma Municipal Airport,
601 Sky Ranch Drive. www.EarthquakeTitus.com.

“Reflections: A Look at how we see Petaluma” – Sat.,April 18, 1:30pm: This event will be a video to document Petaluma’s history as told by those who lived it. Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St. 778-4398.

“The Art of Rock ‘n Roll” Opening Reception – Sat., April 18, 6-11pm: including “The Deadlies” surf rock band from 8-11pm. Dual reception at IceHouse Gallery with “Two of Us”, acoustic Beatles music. Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St.

11th Annual Petaluma Footrace – Sun., April 19, 8:30am: Family friendly 3 & 5 mile footrace starts and finishes at the Petaluma Marina.

Boating at the Barn – Sundays, 10am-1pm: Pick a rowboat, canoe, kayak or sailboat. River Heritage Center in Steamer Landing Park. Call 769-0910 for information.

Red Hot Chachkas – Sun. April 19, 7:30pm: New world klezmer band performs at Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd. North. For more info & tickets, call 763-8920 or visit .

East-Side Farmers’ Market – Tuesdays, 10am-1:30pm: Year-round, rain or shine! Petaluma Community Center Parking Lot, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. 415-999-5635.

Screening of “The Celebration” – Wed., April 22: Petaluma Film Alliance’s Cinema Series. Pre-film lecture 6pm; Film 7pm; Held at the Carole Ellis Auditorium, SRJC Pet. Campus, 680 Sonoma Mtn. Pkwy.

Butter & Egg Days Parade – Sat., April 25, Noon: Cow Chip Contest 10am; Cutest Chick 10:15am; Kids Parade 11:30am; Main Parade at 12pm; Kid’s area, music, booths & more!

Shedding Light On The Wine Industry: An Interview with #Petaluma Native Hoby Wedler

UPDATE: April 23, 2015 – I guess our article inspired the Press Democrat to shine the light on Hoby in Popular blind wine tasting an inspiration BY PEG MELNIK THE PRESS DEMOCRAT.

Petaluma native Hoby Wedler has always been blind. Born with microphthalmia, a rare eye abnormality, Wedler lives in a world not dominated by sight, allowing him to explore the world through his other senses.

Always curious about the world around him, Wedler enjoys and has become an expert at identifying and categorizing things by their scents and tastes. “I’ve always paid attention to my nose and what I smell around me,” said Wedler. “Whenever I come to Petaluma from anywhere that I’ve been … Petaluma always smells fresh and incredible. And I love the smell of grass. Of fresh blooming grass mixed with manure and mixed with the smell of farm and also the smell of fresh coastal influences … another aroma that I love is Petaluma just after the rain when you really get those fresh green smells, those almost wooded smells, it’s absolutely stellar. Can’t get enough of it.”

As a child, Wedler loved growing up in Petaluma, which always had a sense of truly being home for him. “There’s so much going on in the world around us, but we can always come back to this town and feel secure,” said Wedler. “I love the sense of ownership that everybody gets who’s grown up here. We own a little piece of this … you feel a sense of this town is mine.”

Wedler graduated from Petaluma High School in 2005 and now goes to UC Davis, where he is working on a Ph.D. in computational organic chemistry. His love for chemistry stems from his time at Petaluma High, where he took chemistry from Lee Boyes. Wedler recalls, “It was her constant love of chemistry that she brought to the class, talking about how amazing it was, how cool it was to work in the chemical field. Another thing about Ms. Boyes is that she just had an infectious desire to teach.”

CLICK ON PAGE 2 TO LEARN MORE ON WEDLER’S “TASTING IN THE DARK” CLASS AT COPPOLA WINERY

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#Petaluma’s Tolay Creek Watershed Getting Help From AmeriCorps

An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team, known as Blue One, is in town assisting with local watershed protection and restoration. The team, consisting of seven members ages 18-24, is lending a hand to Point Blue Conservation Science from April 1st until May 22nd.

Point Blue Conservation Science is a local nonprofit which serves the community through ecologically friendly and socially conscious wildlife and habitat conservation. The organization’s STRAW program – Students & Teachers Restoring a Watershed- gives participants a hands-on learning experience with ecosystem restoration, while also promoting environmental stewardship amongst its members.

Blue One is assisting Point Blue with the planting of native vegetation – over 1,700 plants in total – as well as installing an in-ground irrigation system at the Tolay Creek watershed. This work is helping to restore the natural ecosystem and encourage native birds and wildlife to repopulate to historical averages.

Kara Peterson, member of Blue One, reflects upon STRAW and its mission: “It is amazing to know that the STRAW program started from one child’s curiosity about helping the environment, and a teacher’s response was to step up and take action.” Furthermore, Peterson stated, “Now, over 35,000 students, 400 teachers and 12 years later, a number of ecosystems have been positively impacted from STRAW’s work and it is an honor to be a part of that legacy.”

The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and its FEMA Corps units engage 2,800 young Americans in a full-time, 10-month commitment to service each year. AmeriCorps NCCC members address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, and urban and rural development; FEMA Corps members are solely dedicated to disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery work. The programs are administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS is the federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

Get Ready For The Great #Petaluma Chili Cook-Off

On Saturday May 9, 2015 over 1500 people will converge on Behrens Park, Herzog Hall at the Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma for the 18th annual Great Petaluma Cook-Off, Salsa and Beer Tasting event starts as usual at 1 pm.. Will you be there too? You will not only experience great food, beer, and entertainment, but you will also be supporting over 1200 kids in the Cinnabar Theater (a non-profit) Children’s Programs. Want to know how to double your donation? Ocean State Job Lot Foundation will match your donation made between now and May (a grant that they have been providing over the past 10 years each year raising the bar). Tickets are free for kids under 5, $10 for ages 5-11, $25 for adults, or $40 with beer. To purchase a ticket, or for more information, call 707-763-8920 or visit GreatChiliCookOff.com. You can also purchase your tickets at the gate on the day of the event.

Entertainment expected this year at the popular Stony Point band with opening act from Don’t Tip The Tweetster (Ska Band) followed by Sister Sirens and Zyphire Belly Dancers, then the Hip Hop Dancers from the Fierce Dance Company. Also The Amazing Caine will be walking around dazzling guests with his illusions and magic.

Annually 40 Chili Teams compete as well as 15 Salsa Teams and 15 Breweries (This year there are 16 breweries entered). The Cinnabar Theater is the non-profit regional theater supporting students in arts and entertainment whose organization’s primary means for funding is special events and ticket sales.

SOLD OUT! The competition is so fierce all challenger spots are taken. There is a short waiting list and every year there is a team or two that drops out – so there is still hope – you can call the theater to get a spot on the waiting list. There is room for more vendors so if you want to get exposure for your business, contact Laura Sunday at (707) 763-8920 or email her at [email protected].

There are some long time supporters re-entering this year’s event:

18 Years – Tree Huggin’ Hippies
17 Years – Trader Joes
14 Years – Petaluma Firefighters
13 Years – Santa Rosa Firefighters
9 Years – Beyond The Glory
7 Years – Petaluma Market, Wells Fargo Bank and Ring O’ Fire
6 Years – Rotoract and Taps

Also long time brewery supporters include Lagunitas, Moylans, Ruth McGowans, and Lost Coast.

CLICK PAGE 2 TO FIND OUT WHY THE STAKES JUST GOT HOTTER FOR THIS YEAR’S GRAND CHAMPION

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Where to go for Live Music & Entertainment in #Petaluma

Check club websites for details of music & events!

Aqus Café:

Apr 11th Bill Hansel’s Blackberry Jam Sing-Along

The Big Easy:

April 12 Sunday Supper Club Elaine Lucia Quartet
April 14th – American Alley Cats (Live Gypsy Jazz)
April 15th (and 29th) Jazz with Tracy Rose and friends
April 16th – Free Live Music from Market Farmers
April 17th – Left Coast Syncopators (Funky Zydeco)

Brixx Pizzeria:

April 11 – Arizona and the Volunteers
April 18 – Blue Diamond Fillups

The Buckhorn Tavern:

April 11 – Karaoke Saturday Night 9PM – 1AM

Corkscrew Wine Bar:

April 14 – Staggerwing
April 18 – David ‘el Oso’ Jenkins

Jamison’s Roaring Donkey:

April 14 – Brainstormer Pub Trivia

Lagunitas Brewing Co.

April 11 – Nate Lopez
April 12 – Levi Lloyd
April 15 – The String Rays
April 16 – Dictator Tots
April 17 – John Brazell
April 18 – Bear Lincoln

Mystic Theatre

April 22 – BoomBox plus Mikey Thunder
April 23 – Morgan Heritage plus Jemere Morgan and DJ Jacques (WBLK)
April 24 – Petty Theft San Francisco Tribute Band to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Phoenix Theater:

April 18 – Infernal Damnation Miscreancy
April 24 – We Are Relentless Dream In Red

Pongo’s Kitchen & Tap:

April 16 – Spike Sikes
April 23 – Nate Lopez

Pub Republic:

April 17 – Twin Soles

Ray’s Tavern:

April 15 – Ray’s Open Mic Night

Willowbrook Ale House

Karoake Every Friday and Saturday Night

Zodiacs:

Rainbow Girls

April 11 – Mark Sexton Band, with Tony Glaser & Dedicated Maniacs
April 12 – Gary Vogensen & The Ramble Band
April 16 – DESERT DWELLERS, PLANTRAE, DRAGONFLY
April 17 – AfroFunk Experience with Eyedentity
April 18 – Lonesome Locomotive with American Nomad
April 21 – RAS ATTITUDE with BLACK SLATE!
April 22 – Earth Day Celebration with Rainbow Girls
April 23 – The Pine Needles

Twin Oaks Tavern (In our sister town of Penngrove)

April 13 – Blues Defenders Pro Jam
April 14 – Karaoke with Huey Dawg plus Game Night!
April 15 – David Thom Band
April 16 – Levi’s Workshop
April 17 – Mojo Rising
April 18 – The Soul Section

Other places that generally have music but no information to share on their website or no website at all:

If you know of a live music or entertainment venue you would like to see here feel free to add them to the comments below.

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What’s Going On In #Petaluma? Through April 17th

#Petaluma Current Exhibits and Upcoming Events

What’s Going On In #Petaluma? Through April 17th

(SOLD OUT) Cooking from the Garden at McEvoy Ranch – Sat., April 11, 9:30am: Join Head Gardener and Winemaker, Margaret Koski-Kent and Head Chef, Gerald Gass, for a garden to table experience. Walk through their kitchen gardens discussing planting, sowing and harvesting ideas and how the garden bounty makes its way to the table.

Sheep Shearing at Petaluma Adobe – Sat., April 11, 11am: Have fun learning how to card and spin wool as they would have done in the 1830’s. The Petaluma Adobe served as the headquarters for General Vallejo’s 66,000 acre cattle rancho from 1836 to 1846. Petaluma Adobe State Park, 3325 Adobe Rd. 762-4871.

Boating at the Barn – Sundays, 10am-1pm: Pick a rowboat, canoe, kayak or sailboat. River Heritage Center in Steamer Landing Park. Call 769-0910 for information.

Danish Community Celebration – Sun., April 12, 2:30pm: Learn about the Hansen House, Danish Soldier’s Club, Petaluma Danish Sisterhood and Brotherhood and more. Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St. 778-4398

East-Side Farmers’ Market – Tuesdays, 10am-1:30pm: Year-round, rain or shine! In the Petaluma Community Center Parking Lot, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. For info call 415-999-5635.

Multicultural Poetry – Wed. April 15, 6:30pm: Join us in celebrating National Poetry Month. Several members of the Petaluma community will read poems in the language they were written and also in English. Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr.

#Petaluma’s Kitsbow Chosen 1 of 15 Companies That Make Clothes You Can Feel Good About Wearing

Mountain Bikers In Petaluma Making Their Way Up Hurl Hill Photo By Tami Cramer

We thought it was appropriate considering this weekend there are thousands of high school mountain bike riders competing in Petaluma this weekend to highlight a Petaluma clothes manufacturer Kitsbow who makes mountain bike wear. They were featured in an article yesterday by Outside Online Magazine highlighting 15 companies they call progressive and making sustainable clothing that looks as great as it wears. We only feature the Kitsbow product below, but if you want to see the other 14 companies highlighted please click on the article link below.

From Outside Online by Will Palmer:

The 21st century seems like a mess so far. Gridlock in Washington. Rising seas. Corporate domination. Kardashians. But if you’ve been paying attention, you know that there are positive things happening all over the place as well, and with accelerating frequency. Consider the clothes you wear. While mass-produced, polluting sweatshop apparel isn’t going away overnight, there are people all over the world—from Portland to Brooklyn to Addis Ababa and, yes, China—who are trying to make style sustainable.

CLICK PAGE 2 BELOW TO SEE LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT OUTSIDE MAGAZINE HAS TO SAY ABOUT KITSBOW

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