Petaluma Community Access halts live television and radio programming: On Sunday, Petaluma Community Access, announced it was temporarily suspending all of its live programming, both on its locally-based television station and the radio station, KPCA. The announcement set a tentative April 7 date for possible resumption of live programs. “We regret having to take these steps,” announced Al Scardino, host of PCA and KPCA’s Lifestyle & Fitness Choice program. “However, they are necessary in keeping our community healthy and safe.” With no live programs happening, the station will instead run repeats of what Scardino calls “uplifting interviews introducing, once again, some very inspiring and informative guests.”
‘Bear Hunt’ game proposed by local teacher: Petaluma elementary teacher Janine Arendt recently posted on the Facebook group “I Love Petaluma!” suggesting a game that Petalumans can support during the remainder of the shelter-at-home order. Since neighborhood exercise is allowed (and recommended), with the provision that social distancing is observed between those who are not in the same household, parents are allowed to take their children on walks. That’s where Arendt’s “Bear Hunt” ide comes in.
“As we come off of Spring Break, our local kiddos are really going to feel the effects of life having been changed,” she posted. “To brighten their lives, I am going to encourage the kids at my school and other local elementary schools to go on a bear hunt while walking with their families. We need some community members to play along. All you would need to do is to put a teddy bear (or even a drawing of one) in your front window or on your front porch. As the kids walk around (their neighborhoods), they will be on the lookout for bears. They can count them. Find their favorites. Or be surprised by their antics. Let’s help the little ones smile.”
She hopes to fill many Petaluma windows with bears, and fill many young hearts with joy during a difficult time.
“Plus,” Arendt added, “the bear is the symbol of our strength here in California.”
Local “garage band” plays social distancing concert in driveway: Chris Samson, former Editor of the Argus- Courier, is a guitarist in the band Los Gu’achis.
“Since there’s hardly any entertainment going on these days,” he says, “we have started playing free, open-air neighborhood concerts. It’s a different spin on the term ‘garage band,’ especially since we’re all in our 60s and 70s.”
The other members of Los Gu’achis are Barbara Arhon on violin and Steve Della Maggiora on accordion. The band, which plays music of Mexico, the Southwest and Early California, usually performs at “dine and donate” benefits for local schools.
Sunday, the band played for an hour outside violinist Barbara Arhon’s garage, all of the performers a minimum six feet apart. Samson estimates that about 20-25 neighbors stopped by, remaining apart and out in the street, to listen and dance. Samson put a video of the event on YouTube, and he says he’s already been approached by a number of news outlets asking permission to replay the video.
“We were contacted by KPIX Channel 5 and KGO Channel 7,” he says, adding that he expects to see the clip on the news sometime soon. Once the video was posted on YouTube then linked to Facebook (including such pages as the above-mentioned “I Love Petaluma!”), Samson says he began receiving very positive messages.
“Barbara’s neighbor across the street, Sue Batholomew Faus, wrote, ‘Lots of people were out walking or riding bikes and they would stop and watch. Everyone was keeping a safe distance from each other. It is so fun to see people participate by clapping, dancing or singing along. It was so heart-warming to watch people having a moment of fun in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. It’s nice to see everyone enjoying it while practicing safe distancing. It’s good to see and hear the positive in life! Enjoy life as much as possible, you never know what tomorrow holds.”
(Have an idea for a good BUZZ item? Send a line to Community Editor David Templeton at [email protected])
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