Supervisor Mike McGuire took this photo during last year’s installation.

Supervisor Mike McGuire reports that construction on the Asti Summer Crossing has begun and should be completed within the next two weeks.

This is especially good news for folks living on S. River Road and in the Palomino Lakes area of Cloverdale.

Currently, residents and others who need access to this area must drive into Cloverdale and circle back.

The temporary bridge is installed by County Public Works crews and remains in place from early summer until late fall.

As reported by Clark Mason in an earlier Press Democrat story,  this pattern of installing and dismantling a temporary crossing is likely to continue in the years ahead unless funding can be found for a permanent one.

• Open Swim takes place daily from Noon to 5 p.m. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
• Adult Open Swim is from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.
• Swim Lessons are offered from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday.
• Pool is available for private party rentals by calling 545-9622 Ext. 4126.

Day Use rates are $3 for Youth 17 & under and Seniors 55+; $4 for Adults 18-54.

A Family Day Pass for 2 adults and 3 children is only $9, and every Wednesday is Dollar Day, with all admissions only $1.

Season Passes and 20-Visit Punch Cards are also available.

For more information, call 894-9148.

(Photo by: Dana Curley)

TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS
Winery Sponsors –  Icaria/Miro Cellars/Quaking Hills
Concert Sponsors – Healdsburg District Hospital

Friday Night Live, Cloverdale’s free outdoor summer concert series presented by the Cloverdale Arts Alliance, continues at 7 pm. this Friday, June 21, with the Blues Rock sounds of Tommy Castro & The Painkillers on the Downtown Plaza stage.

Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter and Alligator Records recording artist Tommy Castro has been playing his signature brand of rocking rhythm and blues professionally for over 25 years, thrilling fans around the world with his incendiary live performances.

With his new, stripped-down, turbo-charged band The Painkillers, Castro has embarked on the next phase of his storied career.

The Washington Post describes them as “Phenomenal and funky….soulful vocals and inspired blues-rock guitar.”

Along with original Tommy Castro Band bassist Randy McDonald, new members Byron Cage on drums and James Pace on keyboards, Castro pares his music down to its tough, raw core.

Formed in February 2012, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers have been tearing up the road ever since.

“A lot of folks are having hard times these days, and they need something to lift them up and make them smile,” says Castro. “Our music kills the pain.”

Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. in the 100 block of N. Cloverdale Blvd. with the Certified Farmers Market, which also offers a variety of food booths. Local restaurants are open for early bird and late night specials. Craft beer, local wines and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase during the evening. Music begins at 7:00 p.m.

Visit cloverdaleartsalliance.org or call 894-4414 for more information.

~ Matinee performance of Tennessee Williams’ “Night of the Iguana” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Tickets are $18 and can either be purchased online or in person at The Mail Center, located next door to the theater at 207-A N. Cloverdale Blvd. 894-2214.

~ The Gary Johnson Quartet will be playing a mix of original tunes, standards, jazz and swing from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, at Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub, 131 E. First Street. No cover charge.  894-9610.

~ A fire safety presentation by the Cloverdale Fire Department to address potential hazards, access and storage in your home will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, at the Cloverdale Senior Center, 311 N. Main Street. 894-4826.

~ Drop in and Dig Into Crafts from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19 at the Cloverdale Library, 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Kids and families are invited to dig in and get your hands dirty with groundbreaking crafts. No charge. Everyone welcome. 894-5271.

~ Teens ages 12-19 are invited to learn how to make a cool design on a brand new T-shirt using bleach from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 at the Cloverdale Library, 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Bring a new T-shirt in any color but white. Bleach will be provided, as will instruction. This free program is part of Sonoma County Library’s Teen Read 2013. 894-5271.

~ Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Mixer from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, hosted by Century 21-Les Ryan Realtors, 114 Lake.. All area business people are invited to attend and  bring business cards and promotional material to share with others. The featured wine pourer is Clos du Bois Winery. Refreshments will be served. 894-4470.

~ Live jazz with Greg Hester and Bruce Halbohm from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 at Piacere Italiano Ristorante, 504 N. Cloverdale Blvd. No cover charge. 894-0885.

~ Cloverdale’s Certified Farmers Market opens at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 21 along N. Cloverdale Blvd. between 1st and E. 2nd Streets. Shoppers will find fresh produce, flowers, plants, artisan crafts, prepared foods, activities for children, and more. For more information, visit cloverdalefarmersmarket.com.

~ Tommy Castro & The Painkillers are the featured performers at this week’s Friday Night Live. Music begins at 7 p.m. on June 21 on the Downtown Plaza stage, located in the 100 block of N. Cloverdale Blvd. Castro, an award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter and Alligator Records recording artist, has been playing his signature brand of rocking rhythm and blues professionally for over 25 years. The free summer concerts, held every Friday through Aug. 30, are presented by the Cloverdale Arts Alliance. 894-4410.

~ Tennessee Williams’ classic “Night of the Iguana,” continues this weekend with 8 p.m. performances Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, June 23, at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd.  The play is set within the environs of a broken-down Mexican resort hotel. Tickets are $18 and can either be purchased online or in person at The Mail Center, located next door to the theater at 207-A N. Cloverdale Blvd.  894-2214.

~ Oscar Calderon playing music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s with a Latin Twist from 8:30 to 11 p.m. on Friday, June 21in the Vino di Amore Tasting Lounge, 105 N. Cloverdale Blvd. No cover charge. 894-6166.

~ Karaoke from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Friday, June 21 at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, 134 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Weekly drink specials. No cover charge. 894-9365.

~ A reception for the grand opening of the newly-relocated Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery and its new art show entitled “The Art of the Matter” will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, at 204 N. Cloverdale Blvd. Everyone welcome. 894-4410.

~ Vantini, the jazz duo of guitarist Phil VanGelder and bassist Jim DeMartini, will be playing for diners from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 22 at Piacere Ristorante Italiano, 504 N. Cloverdale Blvd. No cover charge. 894-0885.

~ Over Easy, the musical duo of Sheridan Malone and John Morris, will perform from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22 at Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub, 131 E. First St. Their repertoire is based on close harmony and includes classic country, bluegrass, gospel and folk. No cover charge. 894-9610.

~ Vintage jazz and blues, hot jump and crazy funk with Marie-Louise Clark & Jazz Habit from 8:30 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, June 22 in the Vino di Amore Tasting Lounge, 105 N. Cloverdale Blvd.  No cover charge. 894-6166.

~ The Gary Johnson Quartet will be playing a mix of original tunes, standards, jazz and swing from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, at Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub, 131 E. First Street. No cover charge.  894-9610.

Cloverdale’s Community Garden, located in the 100 block of S. Cloverdale Blvd., is an example of the type of food-growing garden contest organizers are seeking.

Entries are being accepted for the second-annual Grateful Bed Garden Competition & Tour, a friendly contest showcasing the value, creativity, and ingenuity of growing food in Sonoma County’s public spaces. Eligible gardens must be located on public lands, such as schools and parks, or in public areas, such as community gardens, hospital grounds, wineries and farm stands.

Sponsored by Sonoma County Regional Parks, iGROW Sonoma and the Sonoma County Community Garden Network, the competition and Aug. 3 tour will highlight the potential for food production, community building and natural beauty in public garden beds. The competition is not open to home gardens.

Gardens must be registered by July 15 and must be open for free self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3. (A map will be available in advance at sonomacountyparks.org.) Prizes will go to the winner of a people’s choice award.

To register, garden coordinators can email christina.mcguirk@sonoma-county.org or call  789-9699. Emails should include a contact name, organization, site address, phone number and a brief description of the garden for publication. Site photos are encouraged. Entrants will be contacted to confirm registration.

For more information, visit sonomacountyparks.org.

Members and officers of the newly-chartered William Russell Ledford Squadron #293 of the Sons of the American Legion include (front l-r) Commander Al Delsid, Jim Rotharmel, Finance Officer Anthony Michalek, Historian Will Layfield, (back l-r) Second Vice-Commander Gary Murray, Adjutant Scott Winter, First Vice-Commander Jonathan Cambra, Sergeant-at-Arms Ethan Flick and Chaplain Jason Mobbs. (Photo: Mary Jo Winter)

When Cloverdale’s William Russell Ledford American Legion Post #293 held their annual Installation Dinner this week, there was a second installation ceremony for officers of the newly-chartered Squadron #293 Sons of the American Legion.

Al Delsid was sworn in as Commander.

Three years ago, when Delsid learned that the Healdsburg American Legion was starting a squadron, he jumped at the opportunity to be part of it. For the last two years he has served as their Commander.

“I was up front and told them from the beginning that my ultimate goal was to charter a squadron in Cloverdale,” he says. “They have been very supportive of these efforts and I have much respect for them.”

Founded in 1932, Sons of The American Legion’s primary purpose is to honor the service and sacrifice of Legionnaires.

SAL members include males of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the U.S. military and were eligible for American Legion membership. Members of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion comprise the Legion family, which has a combined membership of nearly 4.2 million.

Their community service campaigns place an emphasis on preserving American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.

Cloverdale’s squadron has already agreed to oversee the local Wreaths Across America ceremony at Riverside Cemetery in December. Other projects are yet to be determined, but could include things like decorating veterans’ graves on special holidays, educating students about respecting the flag and conducting flag retirement ceremonies.

In addition to Delsid, charter members are Armondo Arreguin, Jonathan Cambra, Bob Cox, Brian Creager, Ethan Flick, Val Hanchett, Will Layfield, Anthony Michalek, Jason Mobbs, Gary Murray, Dylan Poole and Scott Winter.

Squadron #293, which will regularly meet on the second Wednesday of each month, will hold its first official meeting July 10 at the Cloverdale Veterans Building, corner of 2^nd and Commercial Streets.

For more information, or to inquire about membership, contact Delsid at delsid1@comcast.net.

The Soil King Garden Center is now open for business.

This week’s opening of The Soil King Garden Center in Cloverdale is the culmination of a long-held dream for 44-year old Patrick King.

Since he was a little boy, King has been interested in organic gardening. Through good times and bad, he says the one constant in his life has always been to have a vegetable garden.

About six years ago, the father of four started developing a variety of potting soils and soil amendments he dubbed “Marley Mix,” using natural ingredients like live worm castings, ground oyster shells and a lot of other “secret ingredients.”

Jammie and Patrick King

Working with his wife, Jammie, King turned the project into a family affair in hopes of instilling his own passion for organic gardening in their children.

“As it turns out, the kids really got into it,” he says. “At school, they can now talk knowledgably about such things as worms, microbes and beneficial bacteria because they really understand it.”

Setting up the store is still a work in progress as more merchandise is arriving daily. In addition to products like kelp meal, seaweed powder, blood meal, bat guano, oyster shells and compost teas, The Soil King will carry a full line of organic soils and soil mixes.

Inventory also includes redwood planter boxes, trellises. gazebos and display tables, made by local craftsmen, as well as pumps, drip irrigation systems and other items for your indoor and outdoor gardening needs.

The Soil King has a large assortment of organic non-GMO seeds in stock, including tomatoes and corn among others.

To celebrate the opening of his new business, King says he will be giving away a free gallon of compost tea with every $20 purchase.

Located in the big green warehouse at 320 Santana Dr. off Asti Rd., The Soil King Garden Center is open Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Delivery is available throughout the North Bay.

For more information, call 894-3500.

Treat Dad to the Cloverdale Lions Club’s 48^th annual Father’s Day Breakfast this Sunday morning, June 16, from 7 to 11 a.m. at City Park on W. Second St.  A hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, milk and coffee is only $8 for adults, $4 for kids under 12.

Set within the environs of a broken-down Mexican resort hotel, Williams has created a mood of pervading loneliness as intrusive as the tropical storm that sends lightning flashes through the tattered room.

Matt Farrell plays The Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon, a disgraced priest locked out by his own congregation, who has become a guide for a bottom-of-the-barrel tour company. He and a group of Baptist school teachers travel by bus to Puerto Vallarta, where they check in to the dilapidated Costa Verde Hotel.

Reverend Shannon is on the verge of a mental break-down when Hannah Jelkes, a penniless painter played by Angela Squire, arrives at the hotel with her ailing, elderly grandfather.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, June 14, 15, 21 and 22, with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on June 16 and 23.

Tickets are $18 and can either be purchased online or in person at the Mail Center, located next door to the theater at 207-A N. Cloverdale Blvd.

THE MAGNOLIA SISTERS
Winery Sponsor – Wattle Creek
Concert Sponsors – Ace Hardware / Cloverdale Automotive

Friday Night Live, Cloverdale’s free outdoor summer concert series presented by the Cloverdale Arts Alliance, continues at 7 p.m. this Friday, June 14 with the acoustic Cajun sounds of the Magnolia Sisters on the Downtown Plaza stage.

The Magnolia Sisters is a band of four Louisiana women, Ann Savoy, Jane Vidrine, Anya Burgess and Lisa Trahan whose most recent CD “Stripped Down” (Arhoolie Records) was nominated for a Grammy in 2010.

The band plays the whole gamut of musical styles from southwest Louisiana: Cajun, Creole, dancehall favorites, and front porch ballads.

Much of their music has been gleaned from long-buried Cajun music jewels found their extensive archives.

A musical evening with the Magnolia Sisters is a fun and enriching experience, as they explain the meanings of the songs, move between accordion two-steps, twin fiddle tunes, heavy bass Creole hits, dance hall standards and a cappella ballads.

As Billboard Magazine says, “These ladies are not only gifted musicians but trusted folklorists who are keeping their traditions alive.”

Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. in the 100 block of N. Cloverdale Blvd. with the Certified Farmers Market, which also offers a variety of food booths. Local restaurants are open for early bird and late night specials. Craft beer, local wines and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase during the evening. Music begins at 7:00 p.m.

Visit cloverdaleartsalliance.org or call 894-4414 for more information.