Thursday, May 17, 2012
If you were marooned on a deserted island with no internet access, what music would you want to hear?
A British broadcaster first came up with the idea in 1942, and it's still on the air: Desert Island Discs, a program asking celebrity guests what music and books they would take if they were cast away on an island. The now-defunct Tower Records music-store chain adopted the idea a few decades later, making Desert Island Discs a regular feature of its in-store magazine Pulse. Instead of celebrities, the Pulse column asked its readers for their lists of must-have music, and that's what we're doing too: If you were marooned on an isolated island that had electricity but no internet access, what music and movies would you want to have with you? Let's see if we can cap our lists at 10 titles, and do it quickly — there's not much time to pack …
Tired of reading "disturbing news" online and in the newspaper, Thea Witsil of Wildcat Vintage Clothing has started a Facebook page for good news only. Do you have something good to share? Tell us here!
Thea Witsil and Napa Patch are both looking for some good news. "Won't you join me for a month long "disturbing news" fast!!!" writes Witsil on a Facebook page she has set up for only "Good News." "Who knows, we might all feel so gawd damn good, infused with the amazing power of positivity we may continue our daily reflection of gratitude far into the month of June and beyond!!!!" Witsil continues. "Look for the Good in May...POST YOUR GOOD NEWS FREELY AND WITH GUSTO!!!!" More than 130 people have already joined Thea's page, showing there's a real need for good news in our community. Do you have something good to share? Tell us here in the comments! Do you subscribe to the Napa Patch newsletter? It brings our latest local news (of all …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A four-term incumbent faces two challengers for his District 2 seat on the Napa County Board of Supervisors. Both are currently on the Napa City Council and both are Democrats, forcing party members to choose. Who gets your vote and why?
We're still weeks away from the June 5 election for District 2 supervisor in Napa County, which shares the presidential primary ballot with a pair of statewide ballot measures and the races for state senate, state assembly, U.S. senate and the Fifth Congressional District currently represented by Mike Thompson. Although the deadline to register to vote in this election isn't until May 21, many district voters have already made their ballot choices and thousands are expected to have cast their votes by mail well before Election Day arrives. While local offices are nominally non-partisan, party politics are still part of the picture: The county's Republican party members have endorsed longtime incumbent Mark Luce. Democratic voters in …
The downtown Napa resale shop is closing after less than a year. What would you like to see there next? Tell us in the comments.
Napa Valley Buy and Sell is closing its doors as proprietor Bill Kolovani prepares for a move back East with his wife, departing Napa Valley College president Edna Baehre-Kolovani. So who, or what, should be the next tenant of this retail shop on First Street? Share your ideas with us.
38.298391
-122.287145
Napa Valley Buy and Sell
1227 1st St, Napa, CA
/articles/what-should-replace-napa-valley-buy-sell
2022207
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Should Napa police continue to arrest drug dealers? Opinions differ, and we're interested in yours.
Veteran police reporter Marsha Dorgan's eyewitness accounts of riding along with Napa drug investigators during Operation Clean Sweep drew a variety of responses from Napa Patch readers: It's about time! I lived next door to the ones on First Street for YEARS, I have no idea what took so long! They were practically running a meth drive-through. I couldn't even feel comfortable letting my kids play in the backyard. (Kelly J.) This is nauseating. The criminalization of behavior that should be treated as a social/medical problem. These stings only justify the jobs of cops, since they don't have any real crime to tackle. (Tom Merle) Tom's correct, drug use is a social/medical issue, but the petty drug laws are a means of motivation in an …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Is it a "heartless slap in the face" for the megachain to take a prominent corner location opposite a small local café in downtown Napa? Or do you think "Starbucks lifts everybody's game?" Join the discussion!
The debate continues over a Starbucks coffee shop that has applied to the city for permission to make design changes to a prominent downtown corner storefront. Here's what some Napa Patch readers had to say on the topic last week: Tom Merle: How can you have a downtown without a Starbucks which is so much more than a chain coffee retailer. They are a lounge with plenty of comfy furniture, wi-fi, and without the din of a place like Bounty Hunter. So think of it has a mini community center. The local place across the street is cramped, the space unappealing. But now people have a choice, which is always good. And Starbucks lifts everyone's game. ... Scott Yeager: ... Bounty Hunter isn't a coffee shop. Not a good comparison. Just a block …
38.2992
-122.28548
1st St & Main St, Napa, CA
/articles/downtown-starbucks-debate-what-s-your-view
/locations/7000476
Thursday, May 10, 2012
This weekly Community Shout-Outs feature is a place for us to share some good news, for a change. Is there someone or something you want to celebrate? Tell us in the comments!
Who do you love? What's going right? Here's where you can let Napa and the world hear your praise: Let us know in the comments section what you'd like to shout about.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Thursday is Bike to Work Day. Are you taking part? Are you already a bicycle commuter? Or do you have a non-biker's point of view? Take our poll and tell us in the comments.
The City of Napa website reminds us that Bike to Work Day is May 10, 2012. Visit youcanbikethere.com for a chance to win prizes, sign up for the Team Bike Challenge, and learn about Bike to Work Day events and resources. Stop by one of five Napa Energizer Stations on your commute for free beverages, snacks, and good cheer - just swing by Blue Oak School, Redwood Plaza, Dwight Murray Plaza, The Hub, or Napa Valley College. Bike to Work Day is the annual focal point of National Bike Month, which kicked off a couple of days early in Napa with the April 28 debut of Napa Bike Fest at Copia. Do you feel these annual events are a great way to celebrate the benefits of bicycling? Or do you think it's all a bunch of needless hype? Cyclists, when …
38.29875
-122.29
Blue Oak Lower School Campus
1436 Polk St, Napa, CA
/articles/are-you-biking-to-work
1959758
/locations/6978083
38.2716
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Napa Valley College
2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA
/articles/are-you-biking-to-work
546936
/locations/6978084
38.310468
-122.296351
The Hub Bicycles
2500 Jefferson St, Napa, CA
/articles/are-you-biking-to-work
1838793
/locations/6978085
38.319008
-122.309042
Bicycle Works
3335 Solano Ave, Napa, CA
/articles/are-you-biking-to-work
546597
/locations/6978086
38.29884
-122.28623
Dwight Murray Plaza
1106 1st St, Napa, CA
/articles/are-you-biking-to-work
1984797
/locations/6978087
The former Pick 'Em Up Truck Store stands vacant on Jefferson Street. A hair salon is located next door; what would you like to see replace the truck store? Share your visions in our comments section.
Next door to Rose and Company Hair Design, at 2278 Jefferson Street, is the former Pick 'Em Up Truck Store, last in a series of occupants that earlier included a store selling comic books. The space, which is separated from the city bicycle path and the Napa Valley Wine Train tracks by fencing and a driveway to off-street parking, has two-hour on-street parking in front. What type of retailer or other business would you like to see next occupy the former truck store? Share your visions with us in the comments section. Prospective tenants can find out more about 2278 Jefferson from Michael Moffett at Coldwell Banker Commercial Brokers of the Valley. Do you subscribe to the Napa Patch newsletter? It brings our latest stories, blogs, …
38.307666
-122.29553
2278 Jefferson St, Napa, CA
/articles/what-s-next-for-this-shop
/locations/6978232
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Each Tuesday we ask people to tell us what's bugging them. Here, a local business owner complains that the Napa Downtown Association (donapa.org) is outsourcing its web design to Sacramento-area firms. What's your take? Tell us in the comments.
Bill Miller recently commented, I’m a business owner in Downtown Napa; in fact, my company does website design and marketing for websites. My rant is towards Do Napa aka Napadowntown.com – their website is supposed to be about Downtown Napa and the community. Come to find out, their website was designed by Augustine & Associates from Roseville and Three29 of Sacramento, turned the design into a website. Where’s the LOVE Do Napa? I can count at least 15 website design firms here in Napa, but nope they choose to go with an out of town company. It’d be nice to see an organization practice what it preaches! I know I support as many local companies as I can and so does my business. Can they say the same? What do you think?
Scott Yeager
12:43 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
I remember Pulse magazine doing desert island discs, I read the freebie all the time. Off the top of my head: Beatles - White Album Miles Davis - Bitches Brew David Bowie - Low Clash - London Calling Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile Love & Rockets - Earth, Sun, Moon Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness First Finale Bill Laswell - Hear No Evil David Sylvian - Gone To Earth Simple Minds - New Gold… more ›