Serving the communities of Valley Springs, Burson and Wallace

Feb. 27

Students prepare the Calaveras Arts Council Gallery for ArtSpirit.

High school art show opens March 8

   ArtSpirit, the 11th annual High School Juried Exhibition, will open in the gallery of the Calaveras Arts Council on Saturday, March 8.

   A public reception for the participating artists who are from the high schools of Bret Harte, Calaveras, Mountain Oaks and Vallecito, will be in the San Andreas gallery on March 8, from 1 to 3 pm.  During that time, cash awards will be presented to students judged as first and second place winners in 12 categories, including black and white photography, color photography, digital/computer art, oil or acrylic painting, watercolor painting, pastels, drawing, functional ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, other/mixed media, and crafts.

   Since March has been designated both nationally and statewide as Arts Education Month, this ArtSpirit exhibit is meant to call attention to the importance of having an education steeped in the arts. The exhibit provides the public with the rare opportunity to observe and possibly purchase art created by the county’s many very talented teens. Last year hundreds of students entered nearly 200 works.

   Small groups of students actually hang and label the show, which is an awesome task, given how many works are entered. Judging of the art for the cash awards is by local professional artists. The awards and the exhibit’s expenses are underwritten by an Endowment for Youth grant from Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital Thrift Store.

   ArtSpirit was chosen as the title to symbolize that through art, students often feel a spirit to express their innermost feelings, whether it be rage, fear, or joy and spirituality. Visitors will be impressed with the quality and the diversity and will be able to cast a ballot for their favorite artwork. At the end of the show in April, a Popular Choice cash award will be presented to the student artist with the most votes.  Last year, more than 250 people voted.

   Calaveras Arts Council has been assisting local schools for more than two decades with its esteemed Arts In Education program, which provides a wide range of visual, and performing arts workshops and assemblies.

   The arts council’s gallery, located at 22 Main St. in San Andreas, is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show will run through April 17. For more information, call the Calaveras County Arts Council at 754-1774, or visit www.calaverasarts.org. 

Mark Wills, the multi-platinum-selling country star, is performing live May 17 at the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Jubilee.

Calaveras fair attracts platinum-record artist for headliner's show

    Multi-platinum-selling country music artist Mark Wills will be the headline entertainer at the 2008 edition of the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee.

   Wills will perform Saturday, May 17, on the Frogtown stage. The concert is included with admission that day to the fair.

   “When people come to my shows, they're going to see a country boy having a lot of fun,” Wills said. “More than anything else, I want to entertain people. My goal is to always make my show something that leaves people feeling happy.”

   Wills was signed to Mercury Records in 1996. He released his self-titled debut album that year and it produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, of which two were Top Ten hits.

   His second album, “Wish You Were Here,” was released in 1998. It was his highest-selling album to date and certified platinum. The title track became his first Number One country hit in 1999. “Wish You Were Here” was followed in 2000 by “Permanently” and by “Loving Every Minute” in 2001.

   Wills released his first Greatest Hits compilation in 2003. The album’s leadoff single "19 Somethin'" spent seven weeks at the top of the country charts. His last album for Mercury, “And the Crowd Goes Wild,” was also released in 2003 and produced two minor singles.

   “The band and I play everyone’s favorites from my past albums as well as songs from the new record 'Familiar Stranger' being released in 2008,” Wills said. “When performing in concert, music doesn't always need to be perfect and sterilized.  It's that natural energy and emotion during a show that an audience connects with that makes live shows so exciting”

   The award-winning performer has scored eight top 10 hits and has made a name for himself as the gifted interpreter of tender sentiments such as “Wish You Were Here” and “Don’t Laugh At Me.”

   He was the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist of 1999 and has staked his claim as one of country music's top male performers by carving out a niche for himself by creating his own moving renditions of such R&B love songs as “Back At One” and “Almost Doesn’t Count.”

   His hit-packed musical legacy includes his unforgettable ballads “Places I’ve Never Been,” “I Do (Cherish You)”, and “She’s In Love.”

   The celebrated performer also has a connection with Mark Twain, the man who penned “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” thus providing the genesis for the annual Frog-Jumping Jubilee in Angels Camp.

    Wills was the voice of Huck Finn in the star-studded animated feature film “Tom Sawyer” and had two of his musical performances on the soundtrack.  

Feb. 22

The Cosgrove family, from left, Josie Tedder, Erin Urbanus, Sara Eschen, Marty Tedder and Mary Eschen are fearful of John Pflugg, who is the villain in the upcoming melodrama to benefit The Valley Springs Friends of the Library.

Annual melodrama begins on Friday

   This year’s annual melodrama presented by The Valley Springs Friends of the Library will entertain audiences beginning next Friday with an espionage and extraterrestrial theme.

   Titled “It Fell Out of the Sky, or ‘Houston, We Have a Problem,” the melodrama was written by Marty Tedder and Don Urbanus and will premiere Feb. 29 in the Jenny Lind Veterans Memorial Hall, 189 Pine St. Urbanus, who has written the past few shows, credits Tedder for writing the vast majority of the upcoming production.

   “Marty maintains that he wrote all the funny parts, so if you don't like the show, blame me,” Urbanus said.

   Tedder is the owner and only employee of Marty's Doitforya Construction. This is his fourth year with the melodrama. He also stars in the role of poor widower Henry Cosgrove who is blessed with five daughters and a lot of useless land around Valley Springs.

   The question is whether he can save his ranch and his sweet, beautiful daughter Bobby Jo from the evil clutches of banker Phil N. Pockets. In addition, can Cosgrove save himself from Miss Desiree Spinster, the local schoolteacher, who has been itching to marry him for years?

   Meanwhile, a mysterious object has fallen from the sky. Is it an unidentified flying object? Cosgrove figures on selling it to save his ranch. However, Russian spies Boris and Natasha have other plans.

   General Brass sends bumbling secret agent Ian Capable to the rescue with his sidekick, Lt. Grubber.  It’s the might of the U.S. vs. the U.S.S.R. in a colossal struggle of wit and daring as each desperately tries to find the mystifying object.

   The cast of local characters includes Sara and Mary Eschen, Josie Tedder, Erin Ubranus and Yara Bobrycki as Cosgrove’s five daughters; John Pflugg as the villain banker; Isaac Wasik and Sara Pesout as the two Russian spies; Edwin Bobrycki as the U.S. agent and hero; Claire Coykendall as the schoolteacher; Eric Bobrycki as the general and Linda Mellin as his lieutenant, and Pat Urbanus as the cleaning lady.

   Don Urbanus is the director and Megan Mellin is the stage manager. 

   Tickets are $10 for the opening night-no dinner show. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the melodrama will begin at 7 p.m.

   The production continues Saturday, March 1, with a no-dinner matinee. Doors will open at 1 p.m. and the play will start at 2. Matinee tickets are $10.

   The dinner shows are scheduled for the following two weeks and will feature pork loin. The cost is $20 per person for the March 7 and 8, or 14 and 15 dinners and shows. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and there will be a no-host bar. Dinner will be served at 6:45, while the melodrama will begin at 7:45.

   Tables for eight can be reserved on the dinner nights for $160. Ticket and table reservations can be made by calling Willine at 772-1000, or Jackie at 772-0591. Individual tickets are available at Health Habit in the Valley Oaks Shopping Center.

   Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase book shelves, office equipment and other items as the combined community and Valley Springs Elementary School library prepares to move into a much larger facility on the school grounds.

Feb. 20

Lyn Heerema entertains Valley Springs youngsters every other Thursday with her storytelling abilities at the library.

Library's Story Time Program a spellbinder for area's youngsters

    Professional storyteller Lyn Heerema has been a big hit with some of Valley Springs’ younger residents.

   The Valley Springs Library features Heerema every other Thursday for readings, songs, music and crafts. Her next appearance is 3 p.m. Thursday at the library, which is located at Valley Springs Elementary School, 240 Pine St.

     Friends of the Library and First 5 Calaveras sponsor the Story Time program for infants to five years old, but older siblings are welcome to attend. Friends of the Library was given a grant to fund the special program. Joyce Peek, a volunteer for Friends of the Library, was instrumental for applying and starting the process for the grant.

     Ailene Garrido, Valley Springs Library branch attendant, praises all who have made this possible including County Librarian Maurie Hoekstra.

   Lyn Heerema currently does her magic readings in five Calaveras County libraries and never finds it boring or ordinary.

     The program Heerema presented Feb. 7 was geared toward Valentine’s Day. She read two books about Valentine’s Day and her crafts project was making a card for a special person. The afternoon ended with a goodbye song, a free book and bookmarker.

    Margie Woods, parent of a first-time attendee on Feb. 7, was thrilled with all of the activities Heerema had planned for the children.  Woods’ son, Chance, was fascinated by the story, and when Heerema pulled out some musical instruments, he started clapping with excitement. They definitely plan on returning for the next program.

     All involved with the Valley Springs Library are especially excited, as the library will be expanding to double the size hopefully by this summer. The library is shared with the Valley Springs Elementary School, so students will also benefit with a larger library. 

   For more information about the program, call Ailene Garrido at 772-1318. Parents can also be added to a reminder list to be called the morning of the Story Time.

Feb. 13

The Bobby McDowell Band, with Bobby in the front row, center, will perform a free benefit concert Saturday in Tracy.

Jenny Lind man sees benefit show helping his musical career

By Nick Baptista

   A Jenny Lind man’s next hurdle to reach his dream of becoming a country western recording artist takes a big step Saturday in Tracy.

   Bobby McDowell, who last year recorded an album titled “The Climb,” which was presented to some of the major recording labels, has in the meantime formed his own band. The group hopes to make a major splash Saturday with a free concert in Tracy’s Grand Theater Center For The Performing Arts to benefit the Tracy Interfaith Ministries.

   “Anything that help the needy, I’m all for it,” McDowell said. Tracy Interfaith Ministries has been providing food and clothing to low-income families since 1988. Approximately 3,800 people, half of them children, receive food monthly through the organization.

   Tracy Interfaith Ministries is moving closer to completing a new facility to better serve the public and proceeds from the concert, which will include a collection, will go toward completing the building.

   McDowell decided to form a band shortly after recording his album. The goal is to make a name for themselves, play in bigger venues and as an opening act for major artists. McDowell began looking for management and got in contact with RedWolf Productions, which liked his album and began booking the band in several venues before hearing them perform.

   “We’re pretty excited RedWolf set us up without seeing us play live,” McDowell said. RedWolf books acts at local fairs and the casinos. The company has offices in Sacramento and Nashville, with the Nashville connection being especially important to McDowell.

      Saturday’s concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Grand Theater, a Tracy landmark that recently was renovated for $12.7 million. The theater has a seating capacity of 600 for the concert and is located at 715 Central Ave. Bruce’s Body Shop, where McDowell has worked since he was 15, is sponsoring the benefit concert.

   “It’s fun to be doing this in a full-blown theater,” McDowell said.

   The following night the band will perform at the Saddle Rack in Fremont and on Feb. 23 at The Wrangler in Elk Grove. His album will be on sale at the concerts. The Saddle Rack attracts approximately 1,200 people a night, he added.

   The band has been rehearsing the past several months and has a repertoire of cover tunes, Southern rock and 80’s rock.

   McDowell, who recently turned 41, began his quest to see how far he can go in a musical career after watching “American Idol” and seeing popular rocker Chris Daughtry’s climb to success. McDowell lives in Jenny Lind with his wife Charlene and their daughter Courtney who is a second-grade student at Jenny Lind Elementary.

Feb. 8

The Escalante family, from left, Ronald, Moses, Linda and Tammy, display some of the baked goods their new bakery is becoming known for.

The Villa Bakery recipe for success based on family

By Nick Baptista

   The Villa Bakery, the newest tenant at The Terrace shopping center off Highway 26 at Vista Del Lago, is a family affair, with a passion to provide superior quality products to the public.

   The ingredients used to open the new business reside all in the family. Moses and Linda Escalante of Valley Springs have a background in the restaurant business. They have two sons in bakery business. Add the other children, spouses and grandchildren, you have a ready-made staff.

   The new bakery is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Villa Bakery offers a wide variety of baked goods including bagels, muffins, breads, rolls, cheesecake, scones, cream puffs, éclairs, cookies and custom cakes for special occasions, such as weddings and birthdays.

   “Whatever we have here is top quality,” said the Linda, the family and businesses’ matriarch. “Everything is from scratch and it will stay that way.”

   That is the promise she got from her sons before opening the business.

   The couple has three sons – Ronald, Dennis and Drew. Dennis has 29 years of baking experience, while Drew has been in the business for 13.

   They have worked with a variety of companies – such as Safeway, Costco and Marriott’s, but now “all of the ropes are untied and they can do what they want,” said dad.

   The public reaction to the bakery has been outstanding, Moses said.

   “Nearly everyone coming in says ‘We’ve needed a bakery for a long time,’” Moses added.

   Al Bravo of Rancho Calaveras provided one such public testimonial while the Escalantes were being interviewed.

   “This is the best thing to happen here,” he said. “It’s great.”

   The entire family also had a hand in the quaint design of The Villa’s interior. As the name implies, the design is reminiscent of a French or Italian village.

   “It doesn’t look like were in Valley Springs,” Moses said.

   The family is letting the public decide what creations to sell.

   “We put the product out and see what they like and don’t like,” Moses said. “So far we have a problem, but it’s a good one. Everything we put out they like and we have to put out more.”  

Seven different ballots were on hand at the Valley Springs voting precinct in the Jenny Lind Veterans Memorial Hall for last week's Presidential Primary Election.

Calaveras voters want Clinton-McCain face-off this November

By Nick Baptista

   Calaveras County voters marched in sync with the majority of voters from throughout the state in Tuesday’s Presidential Primary Election.

   Calaveras voting patterns were almost identical in the major party primaries and on all seven ballot measures.

   Hillary Clinton is the Democratic Party choice for president in both the county and state by nearly 10 percent over Barack Obama. Sen. Clinton captured 52 percent of the Democratic vote statewide and 49.62 percent in Calaveras, compared to 42.3 percent statewide for Sen. Obama and 37.21 percent in Calaveras.

   John McCain had an 8 percent lead over Mitt Romney in both the state and the county in the Republican race. Sen. McCain captured 40.12 percent of the county’s GOP voters and 42 percent of state Republicans, while Romney attracted 32.66 percent of county voters and 34.1 percent statewide. Mike Huckabee finished a distant third with a 13.41 share in Calaveras and 11.6 statewide.

   Voter turnout within the county reached 51.17 percent according to preliminary reports.

   At the Valley Springs precinct, Election Inspector Mary Ann Evans said turnout had been good all day when questioned at 4 p.m.

   In the four referendum measures on the Indian Gaming Compact, county voters were 57 percent in favor, while state voters were a percent behind at 56.

   The transportation fund, community college and term limit measures went down to defeat in the county and statewide. The greatest discrepancy was in the community college race where county voters were opposed to the measure by 64.46 percent, while statewide opposition was 57.3.

   Voters will return to the polls Nov. 4 to finish selecting the nation’s next president.  

Feb. 6

Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, left, congratulates Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital representatives Ryan Thompson, chief of staff; Kathy Dodge, foundation president, and Feliciano Jiron, hospital president, for the hospital being selected as the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year. 

Hospital selected Business of the Year; Garamendi voices budget concerns

By Nick Baptista

   Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital was selected as the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year and Calaveras native and California lieutenant governor John Garamendi shared stories from the past and his thoughts on the future at Friday evening’s chamber installation dinner.

   The annual event was at Camps Restaurant in Greenhorn Creek and attracted a full house of about 150 people to listen to the Mokelumne Hill native.

   The lieutenant governor outlined his concerns about the new budget, the downturn in the state’s economy, the need for quality education and prison overcrowding.

   “There's been very rapid growth in the county, and the county is going to have to catch up with all the infrastructure,” Garamendi said. “This is everything from schools, to parks, to sewers. And at the same time, making sure that the intellectual infrastructure is superb here. Otherwise there will be a lot of kids who won't be able to make it in the economy that is coming down on them.”

   To maintain the intellectual infrastructure, the state will need more than 100,000 new teachers in the next few years and address a critical shortage in nurses and many other skills and professions, he warned, and the state should re-establish technical education to meet the demand for a highly-trained work force to maintain a strong statewide economy.

   The looming state budget deficit is “really serious” and likely will force the dismissal of 107,000 teachers, he added.

   However, he foresees the state meeting the challenge and getting through the difficult times.

   “California has a can-do, will-do, get-out-of-the-way mind set,” he said.

   Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital was competing with seven other organizations for Business of the Year honors. The other nominees were Top Quality Insulation and Bank of Rio Vista, both located in Valley Springs, Castle & Cooke, Central Sierra Lodging, Mother Lode Bank, Pacific West Financial Group and Sierra Nevada Recreation Corp.

   Angels Camp Realtor Jack Boeding was re-elected and installed as the chamber’s president for 2008. Roger Pitto is the vice president and Bruce Tallakson is the treasurer.  

Feb. 1

A mailbox and debris is all that remains at a 3328 Lazer Court house, which fire and sheriff’s officials believe was torched by an arsonist.

Detectives suspect neighbor in arson case

By Nick Baptista

   A Valley Springs man has been arrested after Calaveras Sheriff’s detectives allege he took the biblical phrase “love thy neighbor” to an illegal extreme.

   David Alan Thomas, 51, was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of arson and attempted extortion in connection with a Jan. 25 fire that destroyed a vacant house at 3328 Lazer Court.

   According to sheriff’s investigators, Thomas lives on Lazer Court near the vacant home and burned it down as an unsolicited favor to get the house’s previous owners out of a financial situation with the new owners that involved litigation.

 The past owners at one time had made an offhanded remark to Thomas that it would be nice if the house burned down, the department is reporting.

   Thomas contacted the former homeowners after the blaze and was attempting to extort money in return for burning down the house and relieving his friends of their financial obligation, investigators said.

   Firefighters were suspicious of the blaze when they initially arrived at the scene shortly after midnight last Friday. The house was a log-cabin type structure with large timbers and it was engulfed in flames. The vacant house did not have any furniture inside to help fuel the blaze, which was extremely hot. The house was a total loss and damage was estimated between $300,000 and $350,000.

   The scene was quickly secured and fire investigators were called in. On Monday it was determined the cause was arson.