Jefferson Public Radio

We have a few radio stations in Redding. Most are un-listenable, at best. One that I like a lot is JPR for their Rhythm and News programming. In Redding, you can listen at FM 89.7. They have a good signal throughout the area, and/or you can listen online.
JPRThe free-form style of the DJs really keep things interesting, and you will surely hear something played you have not heard before. On top of that great service, they were instrumental in leading the drive to restore the Cascade Theatre in Redding. One of our true civic gems. Thanks JPR! Although based in Southern Oregon, you are Really Redding.
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Antlers Bridge replacement in Lakehead is a colossal structure

I don’t think these photos quite capture the scale of this mammoth construction project began in 2009, and located about 20 miles north of Redding. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a construction project this big before, hence why I’ve just had to take a photo of it. I was just amazed by the enormity of it, and I think it’s fair to say that I wouldn’t want to be a construction worker at this moment in time. Imagine the stress and the constant pressure they must be under to get it done? I just hope that their construction manager has the relevant qualifications to pull it off because it must be a very tough job. In fact, I may decide to have a look at sites like Raken just to see if I could potentially become a construction manager if I wanted to. Having the relevant skills would be important, but knowing how to manage a team and a project like this is even more essential, especially if you don’t want it dragging on for this amount of time.

Anyway, I just thought you’d like to see what I saw the other day, as I don’t think my eyes can still fathom it. Also, my shots are blurry since I was just waving my camera around while riding up Interstate 5. You can’t really see it very well while whizzing by at speed, so I thought I’d try to capture it on camera.

Below, you can see a worker in orange on a lift at lower right, for scale. These folks are working a hundred feet (a total guess) in the air. Click to slightly enlarge.
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And then these two completely separate structures have to perfectly meet in the air. Impressive work!

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Below, you can see the giant fish bas-relief in concrete. I suppose it will be only visible from the lake.

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Here’s a better look at the artwork, an image taken from the Cal Trans Antlers Bridge Replacement Project website where you can get a much better view of the work.Bridge Antler Fish

The Cal Trans website also had this interesting historical image of the original Antlers bridge construction from 1941.
Bridge Antler 1941The sparse vegetation seen in historical photos is always striking to me. The Northstate was much more fire-safe back in the day.

Railroad Park Resort near Castella

Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary dining experience? A scenic drive 50 miles north of Redding gets you to the Railroad Park Resort, where you can dine in a boxcar.
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Rail6The lovely Karry checks the menu. We imagine the scenery rolling by outside our dining car window, but it’s very pretty outside even stationary.

Inside, the space is filled with railroad memorabilia dimly lit by old incandescent lamps. Wistful remnants of a graceful era. The table lamp is inscribed Paris to Istanbul via The Orient Express.

It’s a romantic place. There’s also dining on a patio with a view of the Crags. And they offer lodging and RV camping spaces on a beautiful creek.
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A perfect getaway from the valley to dine in the pines. There’s a complete menu and much more at the Railroad Park Resort website. Redding was born a rail town. And while the trains at the Railroad Park are all stationary, passengers will find themselves transported toward Really Redding.

New building to replace the Greyhound Station in Redding

Here’s a glimpse of the planned building now under construction at the site of the iconic-but-now-razed Greyhound Station that occupied the corner of Pine and Butte in Redding. Click to slightly expand.
1321 ButteWe have a long history of tearing down what few interesting buildings we have in Redding. But that’s okay by me they are replaced with beautiful and imaginative structures like this. If you are interested in occupying this space, here is a link to the flyer about 1321 Butte Street by fellow Realtor Chris Haedrich of Haedrich & Co. (530) 221 1127. It’s Really Redding.

Greyhound Bus Station in Redding circa 1970's
Greyhound Bus Station in Redding circa 1970’s

Bus station image courtesy of Shasta Historical Society. Consider joining us.

East Valley Times a source for Palo Cedro area news

After featuring The Anderson Standard local news portal a couple days ago, it makes sense to post about The East Valley Times. Based in Palo Cedro, they cover smaller northstate communities east of Redding like Millville, Whitmore, Bella Vista, Jones Valley, Round Mountain, Oak Run, Montgomery Creek, Shingletown, and Manton. They are both online and in newsprint, which is published twice monthly, the first and third Thursdays of the month. East Valley TimesAt the website, you can opt to read it like a newspaper, as they have pdf versions of their print issues uploaded. They also mail to subscribers and have newstands in the area.

Like Anderson, these communities are adjacent to Redding in Shasta County. So they become part of our greater Redding ecosystem of information. It’s good to see the East Valley Times surviving and thriving, evidently enjoying community support. As I wrote about The Anderson Standard:

Every town needs a newspaper. Or its online functional equivalent. A lot of people get their news through social media lately, and that has created some unintended consequences. A newspaper with journalistic standards (or its online functional equivalent) can unite and inform in a way that is truly healthy for democracy. And unhealthy to be without.

Our best wishes for success go to The East Valley Times. You can also Like East Valley Times on Facebook. Carry on.

Redding’s Al Johanson passes away at 91

I recently read that Alger “Al” Johanson has passed away at 91. He gave me my first full time job in Redding in 1974, and became something of a pivotal figure for me as a young man. I see currently, services are pending. I’m sure at age 91, most of his contemporaries have passed on as well. I feel compelled to write something about him here.

Al and his partner Owen Jones ran Redding Optical Lab on Gold Street. I worked there 7 years as a lens maker, and eyeglass fabricator. At the time, Redding Optical Lab was the longest operating lab of its kind in California. We made prescription eyewear for most everyone in Redding who needed to wear glasses. Technology and market changes rendered the business mostly obsolete, and it closed not long after I left for another tech job. The building on Gold Street is now a blood lab.

Me and a couple co-workers at Redding Optical Lab grinding lenses in the late 70's.
Me between a couple co-workers at Redding Optical Lab, grinding lenses in the late 70’s.

Al and his wife Edith lived in Sunset Terrace. Very active in Rotary. He was a truly rare and unique individual. He loved to waterski. So he built his own custom V8 powered ski boat. He loved photography, so he had his own darkroom setup. He loved to fly, so he built his own airplane in his basement, and flew it out of Benton Airfield.
VariEze_in_flightNot just any airplane. It was a canard design built from composite material. A design called a Long Easy designed by Burt Rutan. This was very much cutting edge technology at the time. Even now Rutan’s designs are legendary, and include the current Virgin Galactic spacecraft.

Al introduced me to the first personal computer I ever saw. Perhaps the first one in Redding. It looked to me something like an erector set and used cassette tape for memory storage. I was fascinated! A computer in your house seemed like science fiction. Of course there were no “apps” or even programs. You had to program it yourself using a language called BASIC. Al had written some code to calculate lens design, something we had been doing by hand at the lab. Automation in the 70’s.

Back in those days, I played keyboards in a garage band called Headwind. Al let our band use the upstairs section of the building on Gold Street for free practice space at night. What a leap of faith (and risk)! Our band went nowhere ultimately, but I will be forever grateful for his charity to our artistic cause.

At the time, he just seemed to me like an ordinary Redding guy. My boss. The fullness of time has given me greater perspective to appreciate just how rare and special an individual Al was to have met. Like some Northstate Da Vinci. You want a plane? Build it. You want a computer? Learn to code. These ideas informed my early adulthood, and that mentality has shaped my life too. I bought what may have been the first Apple II computer in Redding because of Al. And with that I began a lifetime of curiosity, technical learning, and a DIY ethic that I carry with me today.

So he lived to be 91, and passed a few days ago on October 7. I haven’t seen him in years. But his passing triggered a flood of interesting memories for me. I went looking for a photo of him to share, but find none. Odd, since I take a lot of photographs. And so this post ended up being more about me than him. There are a few things I recall of his family, although memory falters after 30+ years. His first wife Edith, a teacher, passed away many years ago. His daughter became a veterinarian, I think. His son, an aerospace engineer who worked on some high profile science projects.

L’uomo Univerale. The DIY Renaissance man. For me, Al Johanson will always be ReallyRedding.

” Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time”

*Edit*

I see an obituary has been posted at the newspaper. I’m going to curate it below. I hope nobody minds.

Alger “Al” Norman Johanson

1923 – 2014

Al passed away on October 5, 2014. He was born in Portland, Oregon on April 17, 1923 to Norman Brian Johanson and Alma Aletta Johanson (nee Hammer).

Al graduated from Chico High School. He entered CSU Chico as an engineering major, but was drafted into the Army for World War II. He served as a medic at Brooke General Hospital in Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio. He married his high school sweetheart, Edith Lively in 1945. In 1947, Al and Edith moved to Redding and started the Redding branch of the Chico-Redding Optical Lab, which became the largest independent lab in the state of California. They had two children, Paul and Lois. During this time, Al was extensively involved in the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and Rotary. Al received several commendations, including acknowledgement as a Shan Fellow and a Paul Harris Fellowship. He Rotary service included the Mulege, Mexico dental/optical services project. Al had a passion for flying (he held private, commercial, instrument and Part 135 pilot licenses) and used his own Cessna P210 to transport local health professionals and supplies to Mulege. He personally contributed his expertise honed in the optical lab to fit glasses for villagers. For 25 years, Al managed the Rotary-UC Berkeley International House exchange program that annually brought approximately 30 international students to the Redding area to stay with local families during spring break so they would have an opportunity to learn about American culture and the far north state.

Al built his first house himself, working on it on the weekends and each day after work, and kept up his hands-on approach throughout his life, rebuilding much of the family home when it burned in the mid-1980’s), building boats for water-skiing and his own aircraft, a “Long EZ.” The EAA was especially important to Al; he was Past President of the EAA, Chapter 157, and he spent a portion of many days at Benton Airport with his flying buddies, most of whom he outlived. He served on the board of the Mercy Air Ambulance. Each year, Al and Edith flew to the national EAA “fly-in” in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Al loved anything that burned a LOT of gas and went fast. He said if he had a dollar for every gallon of gas he had burned, he would be a millionaire. Edith and Al were happily married for 43 years until Edith passed away. Al sold his optical lab and retired during Edith’s illness so he could nurse her. After retirement, Al joined a coffee group which met every weekday morning at the Sandwichery and was a regular until about 7 years ago.

Two years after Edith passed, Al found happiness again with Isabella “Izzy” Talley. Together, they had a wonderful time travelling to Egypt, Norway (to see Al’s ancestral “home”), the Panama Canal, New England, and up and down California. They especially enjoyed taking long drives around the north state to see the beautiful surroundings. Al and Izzy were married for 25 years, the last ten of which were touched by Al’s slow decline due to dementia and Parkinson’s. Throughout life, Al did a lot for other people; often no one else except the recipient knew what Al had done. As he was always the helper, it was particularly difficult for him to receive help. Izzy was a devoted caretaker, but when caring for Al became too much, she shared responsibility with the staff at A Brand New Day, who grew to love Al for his mischievous and stubborn self. It was difficult to determine how bad the dementia had gotten as Al was never a big talker (being more of a “do-er”) and had several stock phrases that he used for most conversations. “How are you, Al?” “Terrible!” (followed by a quick grin). Even when he had lost his ability to talk, there were times you could still see Al in the twinkle of his eyes.

St. James Lutheran Church was an integral part of his life. He was involved in founding the church in Redding which just celebrated its 65th anniversary and was a lifelong member, serving on the council and supporting the church leadership.

Al is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife (Edith), and his three brothers (Harold, Art and George).

He is survived by his second wife (Izzy), his son Paul (Diane), his daughter Lois (Steve Hild), and three grandchildren (Brian and Brandon Johanson, Julia Hild). He is also survived by his six stepchildren (Sam Lewis, Izzy Lewis, Russ Lewis, Rebecca Hinrichsen, Margaret Arthofer, and Buffy Tanner), their spouses (Phil Park, Sumudu Lewis, Henry Hinrichsen and Dave Tanner) and eight step-grandchildren (Tanya and Christina Lewis; Lauren, Sidney and Grayson Arthofer; Hannah and Rachel Hinrichsen; and Lily Tanner).

The family would like to recognize and thank the wonderful staff at A Brand New Day for their care and love of Al, as well as Mercy Hospice for ensuring Al’s passing was peaceful and pain free.

The family will hold a private remembrance of Al’s life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the St. James Lutheran Church Memorial Fund.
Call (530) 221-6474 for more information.

Clearie’s Restaurant & Lounge in Redding

Clearie’s Restaurant & Lounge occupies a special place in the literal and figurative heart of Redding. The site on Eureka Way and Market was once home to The Shack, a popular blue collar diner that was something of an institution on this corner for years. Now razed and replaced with this regal restaurant.

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Clearies4smThe other part of the narrative is that Clearie’s was created by a descendant of the owner of Doc’s Skyroom Restaurant, a Redding standard that is also no more. But Doc’s was once one of our signature dining establishments where Northstate patrons would go for formal and special occasions. The present owner of Clearie’s has built on that legacy, and elaborated the Doc’s theme as an understated, tasteful motif.

We stopped in for lunch the other day and snapped a few images. I had the Ahi Sandwich with sweet potato fries, and the lovely Karry picked the Daily Special.
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The Special consisted of a Tomato Bisque soup along with a Grilled Cheese sandwich. Along with her salad, she chose Steak Sticks, which were wrapped in bacon. All of it delicious and well presented by attentive staff.

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Located beneath this iconic sign at a major crossroads in Redding, Clearie’s is a clear winner for meeting clients, or for a special evening evocative of Doc’s Skyroom.

There is a terrific Clearies website that does a great job explaining their story and giving you some idea of their full culinary experience and libations. (530) 241 4535

I have lived long enough in Redding to recall as I was seated yesterday in Clearies, that I’d sat about the same place inside The Shack in the 70’s. And that time my boss at the lab took me to lunch there to offer me a promotion and raise. It was a pleasant recollection. And then afterward we all went to Doc’s Skyroom for a Formal Retirement Dinner for the colleague who I replaced. Probably like many in Redding, I have fond memories of both prior establishments, and all of that goodwill has transferred in full to Clearie’s. A new Redding classic with a nostalgic twist. It’s Really Redding.

 

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Think Pink promotional effort underway today

Get ’em while they’re hot (pink)! This year the Think Pink bags are reusable grocery bags, a nice touch. The lovely Karry and her friends helped fill the bags. Available now at MD Imaging on Court Street. Mind the traffic…
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Sundial Bridge in Redding California by Skip Murphy