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California

Manzana Products, Sonoma County’s last apple processing plant, moving to Washington state

February 14, 2024 by sergneri Leave a Comment

Manzana Products, Sonoma County’s last apple processing plant, moving to Washington state Manzana Products cites the county’s low apple production and high cost of out-of-state apple transportation as the main factors for its move to Washington state.

Posted in: California History, Environment, Faits Divers, the Anthropocene Tagged: 2024, agricultural history, Apple, apple processing, California, Manzana Products, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, sustainability, Washington State

ONE WOMAN LYNCHED

December 21, 2023 by sergneri Leave a Comment

In researching a lynching in Santa Rosa Press Democrat of 11 December 1920, this bit of California history was mentioned: ONE WOMAN LYNCHED What is reputed to be the only known lynching of a woman in the history of California, occurred in Downieville in 1851. As described by Charles L. Felton, an eye-witness, she was a … [Read more…]

Posted in: California History, California Newspaper Archive, Faits Divers, History, Obituaries Tagged: 1851, belles of the camp, California, dagger, Downieville, history of California, lynching

“The Silverado Squatters” by Robert Lewis Stevenson

December 10, 2023 by sergneri Leave a Comment

We visited the Petrified Forest near Calistoga CA last week. In the walk through the forest was a plaque explaining the link between “Petrified Charley,” the founder and owner of the site in 1880, and Robert Lewis Stevenson who visited. At the gift shop was a slim volume “The Silverado Squatters” by RLS which my … [Read more…]

Posted in: California History, Faits Divers, History, Sea Stories, What I Read Tagged: 1880, California, Calistoga, Northern California, Petrified Charley, RLS, Robert Lewis Stevenson, The Silverado Squatters, wine country

One More On The Egg Boat

May 28, 2023 by sergneri Leave a Comment

Petaluma Argus Courier, Number 223, 11 May 1923 One More On The Egg Boat The steamer Gold, the only known boat to catch its own fish, broke all records yesterday on a down trip through the tule region when it kicked six bass into the pantry frying pan. The Gold wears a paddle wheel under … [Read more…]

Posted in: California History, California Newspaper Archive, Faits Divers, History, Sea Stories, This Day in History Tagged: Bass, California, Dead Goat, Egg, Paddle Wheel, Petaluma, Steamer Gold

A ‘Big Night’ for Newts

January 25, 2023 by sergneri Leave a Comment

A ‘Big Night’ for Newts, and for a California Newt Brigade

Posted in: California History, Environment, Ethical and green living, Science Tagged: California, Chileno Valley, Chileno Valley Newt Brigade, Laguna Lake, newts, Petaluma, Sally Gale

The Elusive Future of San Francisco’s Fog

September 14, 2022 by sergneri Leave a Comment

The Elusive Future of San Francisco’s Fog  from the New York Times of 09/14/2022.  

Posted in: California History, Climate Change, Environment, Faits Divers, History, Science, Sea Stories, the Anthropocene Tagged: California, coastal fog, fog, fog catchers, fog horns, Golden Gate, mariners, Northern California, redwoods, San Francisco

Commentary: Utility profits the unspoken factor in California’s rooftop solar fight

March 30, 2022 by sergneri Leave a Comment

Commentary: Utility profits the unspoken factor in California’s rooftop solar fight

Posted in: Climate Change, Environment, Ethical and green living, Politics, the Anthropocene, Thinking about Tagged: California, Pacific Gas & Electric, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, rooftop solar, San Diego Gas & Electric, solar farms, Southern California Edison

Drought 2022

March 9, 2022 by sergneri 1 Comment

March 9, 2022, Petaluma CA I just searched this blog for the word DROUGHT and found all the entries dated from 2020. I decided to start this journal due to the household conversations we’ve had on how we are going to ration our irrigation water this year. Water is due to become even more expensive … [Read more…]

Posted in: California History, Climate Change, Environment, Ethical and green living, Faits Divers, the Anthropocene, Thinking about Tagged: California, Drip Irrigation, drought, Eel River, irrigation, La Niña, Lake Sonoma, Petaluma, Rain, Russian River, Sierra Nevada, Sonoma County, toilet, Water, Water Rationing, water year

BILLION WILL BE SPENT ON U.S. HIGHWAYS

November 19, 2021 by sergneri Leave a Comment

San Francisco Call, 8 January 1919 By Associated Press. WASHINGTON, Jan. 8.—Road building on an extensive scale is expected by government officials this year. Estimates by the Bureau of Public Roads and Rural Engineering indicate a minimum expenditure on highways of $300,000,000. Deferred construction and the improvement of existing roads so that greater use may … [Read more…]

Posted in: California History, California Newspaper Archive, Thinking about Tagged: 1919, California, construction, highways, Infrastructure, roads

The humble shrub that’s predicting a terrible fire season

April 19, 2021 by sergneri Leave a Comment

Over at Ars-Technia, an interesting view on “Chamise is kind of a crystal ball for understanding how badly California might burn. ” And nothing scares a fire weather scientist quite like a year with dehydrated chamise. If it’s dry, then that’s a good indicator that everything is dry. “Right now, these are the lowest April … [Read more…]

Posted in: Climate Change, Environment, Ethical and green living, Faits Divers, Science, Sea Stories, Thinking about Tagged: California, Chamise, ecosystem, fire scientists, fire-season, flammable vegetation
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