Sunday E-dition: Engaging Stories, Renowned Contributors and Inspiring Community Support
By Tim Carl
In the second week of Napa Valley Features, our team delved into captivating stories, expanded our roster and welcomed a significant number of new subscribers. The response from the community has been inspiring, highlighting the resonance of our professionally delivered local content. This enthusiastic support motivates us to continue delivering engaging and impactful journalism that serves our readers' desires for high-quality local news.
Highlighting the top three stories from this past week, we begin with "The Silverado Trail Strawberry Stand: Cultivating a Flavorful Legacy Through Family Harvests." This piece recounts the journey of Mouang Saetern, who 23 years ago started a simple strawberry stand that has now become a cherished Napa Valley tradition and a symbol of summer's arrival. Their reputation for fresh, high-quality strawberries, have them served in renowned establishments such as The French Laundry.
Written by Sasha Paulsen, the former features editor at the Napa Register, this article showcases her skill and deep connection to the community. Paulsen's wealth of experience and professionalism have made her a trusted source of news for years.
The second most-read piece explores a collaborative endeavor between Matthiasson Winery and UC Davis, focusing on the significance of insects in vineyard ecosystems. This ongoing project involves the creation of a handcrafted mural featuring approximately 80 different vineyard insects. This collaborative effort aligns with Matthiasson Winery's commitment to organic viticulture, promoting sustainable farming practices that support healthy environments and communities. The completion of the mural later this year will serve as a visual reminder of the interconnectedness between humans, nature and the often-overlooked world of insects and microbes.
In a remarkable milestone, the Cameo Theater in St. Helena celebrated its 110th birthday last week, with the event recorded by Anne Ward Ernst, the former editor at the Calistogan. Ernst captured how this iconic theater, California’s oldest continuously operating single-screen movie theater, has stood as a beacon of entertainment and community gathering since its founding in 1913. Under the stewardship of proprietor Cathy Buck, the Cameo not only maintains its charm but also continues to offer more than just cinematic outings, including a diverse range of events, such as live performances, concerts and thought-provoking discussions.
We are also happy to introduce a new guest contributor, Rosemarie Kempton, an accomplished local journalist. Kempton's piece focused on this year's showcased artist at the Yountville Art, Sip & Stroll event — Ivan McLean, a sculptor renowned for his mastery of various materials and styles, including wood and metal. Kempton delved into McLean's artistic journey, which extends beyond Yountville, with his work exhibited in private and public collections worldwide.
And the piece that gained the most online discussion was our, “AI or Real?”— a game that gave our readers the opportunity to test their skills when it comes to determining if an image was generated by AI or created by a human. Try it for yourself. It’s a fun game that is also a little terrifying.
This week is shaping up to have even more stories from new and old voices, including one of the region's most beloved journalists, Dave Stoneberg, former editor at the St. Helena Star. But more about that later.
Have a wonderful Sunday and stay tuned for more captivating local content coming your way.