Support appreciated

The Title VII American Indian Education Parent Committee and staff would like to thank the Elk Valley Rancheria & Casino and the Catering Department for their generous support of our Winter Fundraiser on Dec. 7.  A lot of funds were raised to support our American Indian Students.  Thank you!!!

TITLE VII committee and staff

Thanks for ‘kind gesture’

The Curry / Del Norte Orchestra presented its fall/winter concert at the Elk Valley Rancheria on Dec. 2. We are so grateful for the kind gesture of the Community Concert Association of Crescent City. It provided its piano and also paid for the moving and tuning of the piano for our concert. Our December concert featured Christy Dolan playing the Saint Saens’ Piano Concert #2.

Gary DeRoest, orchestra director, and Della DeRoest, Orchestra Guild president

Left to right: Renner Petroleum President Mike Renner and Debbie Fontaine and Teri Levitt, of Renner Petroleum, present Shanda Daniel, Redwood Memorial Foundation director of operations, with a donation collected by employees. Submitted photo

Company President Mike Renner said his father always believed in supporting other organizations in the community and that Redwood Memorial Hospital was one that was near and dear to his heart. Renner Petroleum employees Debbie Fontaine and Teri Levitt, who joined Mike Renner in presenting the donation to the Redwood Memorial Foundation, said employees at Renner Petroleum felt a special connection to Larry Renner and are deeply saddened by his passing.

“This donation is a true testament to the incredible generosity of Renner Petroleum employees and speaks to their commitment to continue the legacy of giving that Larry established during his life,” said Paul McGinty, executive director of the Redwood Memorial Foundation.

Tari Hatfield, Del Norte County Senior nutrition supervisor, checks the progress of lunch last week. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

The store chain donated $918,000 to 33 non-profit organizations statewide, including the local senior center, which received $25,000, the corporation announced Saturday. The senior center will use the money to cover nutrition program expenses that other funding sources don’t cover, said Executive Director Charlaine Mazzei.

“The nice thing about it is it’s very flexible funding,” she said. “We have other funding sources that are specific in what they’re (supposed to be) used for.”

The nutrition program provides hot meals for seniors at the senior center or through the organization’s meal delivery program, Mazzei said. The senior center serves about 69 meals per day to those who come in to socialize and eat their lunch. The center also delivers about 81 meals per day to home-bound seniors.

The center’s nutrition program is partially funded with Title III funds through a contract with the Area 1 Agency on Aging, Mazzei said. It costs roughly $200,000 a year to run the program, and the center gets about half of that from the agency, she said. 

A Community Development Block Grant through the county covers the other half, Mazzei said.

“A fair chunk of our funding comes from donations of participants,” Mazzei said, adding that the senior center asks people to provide a $3 donation for a meal. “It provides at least one hot meal a day for folks who either may not otherwise have a meal or who just want to come and socialize.”

Strand Hill

‘The Clumsy Custard Horror Show and Ice Cream Clone Review’ begins Friday

Turkey spiders. Ice cream clones. And one menacing blob of green custard.

No, this isn’t a culinary nightmare. It’s the latest production of Del Norte High School’s theater class.

“The Clumsy Custard Horror Show and Ice Cream Clone Review,” written by William Gleason, is a comedic battle of good-vs.-evil played out in the kingdom of Zob — both upper Zob (Zob proper) and lower Zob (Zob improper).

Zob proper King Dumb, played by Robin Pearce, wants his daughter, Princess Prince, played by Wendy Thao, to choose a husband at the Prince Picking Ceremony. Out of all the more suitable suitors, the princess falls for a gentle and courageous pauper. 

Little does she know that he is actually Swashbuck Valpariso, the bearer of the magic sword, Master of Fast Feet and the one who rescues her after she is taken hostage by Dacron, the evil ruler of Zob improper, played by Kahliel Jones.

“It’s your damsel-in-distress but with a twist,” said Strand Hill, who plays Swashbuck Valpariso.

“It’s a Medieval parody,” said narrator Chelsey Steffen.

And the custard?

“He eats people,” said Hill.

Brennet will play at the Harbor Performing Arts Center. Photo courtesy Namoli Brennet

Tickets are $8 in advance at the Curry Coastal Pilot, 507 Chetco Ave., or $10 at the door. The theater is located at 97900 Shopping Center Ave. 

Brennet has been described as a cross between Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin and Sheryl Crow, and her gritty, honest folk has attracted a large and extremely loyal fan base. Her nine CDs, including her latest, “We Were Born to Rise,” and her poignant, introspective and sometimes hard-hitting music, has won praise and accolades from critics and fans alike. 

Zocalo magazine calls her music “gorgeous and introspective.”  

One critic said “She’s a breathtaking and moving performer, and her sweet, road-weary voice is as quick to deliver her wit and humor as it is a turn of phrase.”

A four-time Outmusic award nominee, Namoli has also won the Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Award and was a finalist in the ISC songwriting competition. Her recent release ‘Black Crow’ garnered critical acclaim and was named one of KXCI FM’s top albums of 2010.

Her music has been featured on NPR, PBS and in films including the Emmy-award winning documentary “Out in the Silence.”

Videos of Brennet performing can be found at www.stagelights.us or www.namolibrennet.com.

Stagelights Musical Arts Community (www.stagelights.us) is a Brookings-based nonprofit organization dedicated to music outreach, education and live entertainment.

Keola Beamer performs Friday

The Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness presents the third performance of its 30th anniversary season, Hawaiian slack key guitarist Keola Beamer with hula master Moanalani Beamer, at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Crescent Elk Auditorium, 994 G St.

Beamer, who currently lives in Lahaina on Maui, finds it “overwhelming” that his own album (“Maiama Ko Aloha” or  “Keep Your Love”)  and “The Descendants” movie soundtrack (which also carries his music) have both been nominated this year for Grammy awards.

Tickets cost $18 for general, $15 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for students (K-college, full-time) at the door and at Del Norte Office Supply and Wright’s in Brookings. For more information, call DNACA at (707) 464-1336.

Jan. 17 reception for juried show

DNACA’s 21st annual Juried Multimedia Exhibition is the current Art in Public Places show up at the Del Norte County Courthouse, 450 H St.

A reception for the 15 participating artists will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, and the public is invited.

Artists include Nancy Chernak, B.J. Clausen, Cathy Dean, Betty Depee, Larry Depee, Rosemary Garcia, Pauline Holmes, Doug Minty, Susan Moore, Muriel Northrip, Diane J. Price, Kim Redd, Cuno Sapora, Carol A. Schach and Mureen Walker. Refreshments will be served and ribbons handed out.  For more information, call 464-1336.

Dance concert set Jan. 18-19

Del Norte High School dance presents its annual winter concert, titled “Around the World,” at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 and 19 in Crescent Elk Auditorium.

The performance will have a lot of variety, and features dances from various continents and cultures, as well as an ocean theme, a section of dances based on different emotions, and a group of dances portraying numerous phobias.

Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors at the door. For more information, leave a message for dance teacher Katherine Peña at 464-0260.

Pine Grove School

• Students of the Month:

Jessica Gamez-Ramirez, Leila Moore, Orlando Trujillo-Ortiz, Andre Smith,  Daniel Gonzalez, Cooper Maxwell, Ryleigh Bennett, Evangeline Xiong, Sebastian Espinoza, Aliyah Rafalowski, Bryce Howard, Caitlyn Gallogly

• Star Artists: 

Justin Cha, Kailey Potter, Kami Stary, Andrijaa Bigovich-Ritter, Nevaeh Moodie, Samantha Monroe, Tamana Rahimi, Bailey Fox

• Star Writers: 

Jose Reyes-Romero, Mikayla Gephart, Bryton Eyre, Jodie Pingree, Andrijaa Bigovich-Ritter, Dorian Pierce, Dakoda Baker, Deja Travis

• Star Readers: 

Sabrina Pingree, Lilly Forkner, Avery Hernandez, Brendan Lovaas, Echo Pearson, Kasey Bliss, David Gonsalves, Anthony Cardenas, Melanie Carmesin

• Star Mathematicians: 

Caitlyn Gallogly, Adrian Arias Chavez, Aaron Martinez, Julissa Ramos-Ontiveros, Parker Hurley, Kaydence Farley, Dorian Troyna, Olivia Moreno, Colby Moore

• Pillars of Caring: 

Taylor Farley, Belle Oliphant, Cole Price, Josephine Heuberger, Emma Salas, Maryssa Smith, Kaidance Cardenas, Marialena Gonzalez

• Class With Best Attendance: 

Mrs. Porter

Consider it a community bulletin board, with someone in charge to put up fresh material and take down the old stuff every week.

 Or a blog on paper of doings in your community.

 Whatever you call it, the Around Del Norte column will be a place to share. What’s new and different in your life? What’s going on with your service organization or in your classroom? How about the local social scene? What did you see while out and about on the North Coast that warmed your heart or riled you up? Did you shoot a funny photo?

 Every Tuesday, Neighbors Editor Laura Wiens will serve up a local stew of tidbits big and small, anything of interest in the area bordered by Oregon to the north, Humboldt to the south, the Collier tunnel to the east and a few miles offshore to the west.

 To make sure the mix is to her liking, she’ll be tinkering with the recipe for a couple of more weeks, with the first Around Del Norte column appearing on the Neighbors page Jan. 22.

 Meanwhile, e-mail your contributions – from quick tips to a total recounting of what’s on your mind, from photographs to Internet links – to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Or send them by traditional mail to Laura Wiens, Neighbors editor, Del Norte Triplicate, 312 H St., Crescent City, CA 95531.

Left to right: Admiral Scott Swift, Grace Joines, Mark Joines and Mac Joines. Submitted

Presenting the award was Vice Admiral S.H. Swift, Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet. Also in attendance were Joines’ wife Grace, and father Mac Joines, who currently resides in Crescent City.

In his civilian job, Joines is employed as a pilot for American Airlines and resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife Grace.

From January 2009 to November 2012, Joines served as the naval amphibious liaison element battle watch captain, senior offensive duty officer and master air attack plans lead for exercises “Key Resolve,” “Terminal Fury,” and “Ulchi Freedom Guardian.”

As a recognized expert in air command and control theory and doctrine, his leadership in both the Seventh Fleet and Thirteenth Air Force Air Operations Centers generated 1,000 combat sorties daily to support all Joint and Combined Task Force operations training objectives.

During this period he also performed as the Maritime Operations Center “Fires” watch officer on board the Seventh Fleet flag ship (USS Blue Ridge). He ensured all target sets were properly vetted, prioritized and sourced, according to the Maritime Component Commanders standing guidance.

As executive officer of the reserve component Training and Exercise Warfare Directorate, his organizational skills ensured the timely operational support to the commander of Seventh Fleet. Joines orchestrated the billet structure, training, orders, travel, and funding requirements for 300 sailors and provided more than 5,500 days of operational support to the gaining command.  

After graduating from Del Norte High School in 1981, Joines enlisted in the Navy, where he served as an air crewman on the P-3C Orion until 1986. He left active duty to pursue a degree in meteorology through the Navy ROTC program, graduating in 1990, receiving a commission as an ensign in the Navy. 

Upon completing flight training he was awarded his Navy Wings of Gold and designated a naval aviator on Nov. 6, 1992, at Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas. After completing his training in Jacksonville, Fla., he was stationed in Brunswick, Maine.

There he made two deployments to Sigonella, Sicily, and one to Puerto Rico and Panama. He flew missions in support of Operations “Sharp Guard,” “Desert Calm” and “Frontier Shield” in the Adriatic, Caribbean and Red seas. He served as the squadron communications officer, readiness officer and maintenance quality assurance division officer.

More than 150 well-wishers attended a retirement party at the Elks Lodge on Saturday night for outgoing Rural Human Services executive director Teri McCune Oostra. She and husband Kees own the Dutch Gardener, which they plan to operate full-time beginning this spring.

Teri McCune Oostra with husband Kees Oostra at her retirement party Saturday night. Del Norte Triplicate / Rick Postal

Teri McCune Oostra Del Norte Triplicate / Rick Postal

Three For the Road

See more photos at triplicate.com/mycapture.