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STAY AT HOME orders came on March 19, 2020. In spite of that, on Ryer Island near Walnut Grove, CA, life didn’t change much. Primarily
Part II: Families, Fortunes and Philanthropy This is the second of three articles that chronicle the events, individuals and organizations that contributed to the opening
Man in Recliner #3 “…on my homage list were Stocktonians Al and Mel Corren. Uncle and nephew, the two Correns found one another in wartime
Come to the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta 1830-1860 Traveling the Delta rivers did, of course, have their dangers. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), writing for the
Part One Avoid gatherings. Isolate but keep connected. Quarantine to save lives including your own. Times are tough, but you’re tougher. Take care of your
Part I: From Wishful Thinking to Community Action THE DOORS OF THE NEW BRICK BUILDING in Stockton’s Victory Park opened at 2:00 PM on June
GEORGE SHIMA, THE JAPANESE IMMIGRANT who became known as the “Potato King” of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta was profiled in a prior Soundings Magazine article
Though the nation is facing a disastrous COVID-19 pandemic, other viruses continue to threaten Californians. April 19-25 is California Mosquito and Vector Control Awareness Week,
When life hands you a puzzle, it tests your ability to be a player. The 2020 pandemic is what one might call the ultimate puzzle.
Editor’s Note – This is the first in a series of SAN JOAQUIN STORIES produced by the San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum Many
As the sun set on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020, a light shot out into the dusk from atop Mt. Diablo. A beacon which is
When I first heard that an epidemic had grown into a pandemic and might be heading our way, I reasoned that the calculation could prove
The Weather Always Changes I learned some valuable sailing lessons on the Delta in the late ‘70s, just as I had as a boy in
Tips for Alleviating Cabin Fever The days are beginning to drag on in this grand social distancing /stay at home experiment (or Physical Distancing as
Time to Wonder – What If? Sometimes waiting for a good thing can allow a person time to think. To savor life’s under-appreciated magnificence. Reflect
Shopping has become a battleground…sometimes civil and at times confrontational. Thankfully I have not encountered the latter in my town. But what I have seen
First in his clan to come to college, First, in fact, to finish grade ten, At age twelve, Daniel followed his father one day Into fields
Ahhhhh…you’ve just shut the front door, stored away the bounty of your latest shopping trip. You have everything you need for an extended staycation, thanks
Keeping Active in Times of Social Distancing The world is shutting down and many of us are living tiny in our homes with a prospect
Part Three If you missed Part One Or Part Two When his office staff sent the Delta Detective off on a holiday cruise, they had
The Meat That Survived a Flood Never. Take. Life. Too. Seriously. Ever. Attracting locals and out-of-towners alike, the Isleton Spam Festival is a quintessential Delta
Part Two If you missed Part One A nice, quiet Delta vacation with his friends, his boat and his fish. That’s all the Delta Detective
The Well-known “Potato King” and Japanese Leader In the 1920s, Shima had to dismantle his farming empire due to the Alien Land Laws. He then
Ocean-going ships smack in the middle of prime agricultural land? No ocean in sight? With 234 ships calling on the Port of Stockton in 2019,
Mountains of Trash Near Isleton “I do this one-woman and low key. I’m hoping to get a few more people involved, you know, get the
Pigeons – Dirty Birds or Wartime Heroes? There is a special bond between people and their pets, which we ofttimes think of as dogs, cats,
Sun and moon align creating King Tides (perigean spring tides) It is that time of year when the sun and moon align creating King Tides
Part One Ho, ho, ho! Can the Delta Detective enjoy his Christmas holiday without a crime caper? One would expect the DD to utilize the
Combat Veterans Battling Homelessness More than $4,000 was raised by the Lynn Hahn Lighted Boat Parade this year, with the funds going to the Combat
This is a tale that is more than the restoration of a 1928 beacon, shut down on December 7, 1941 for fear it would allow
The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over the harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. –Carl Sandburg It’s
The Lynn Hahn Lighted Boat Parade begins at Windmill Cove at 5pm and at about 6pm will be entering the Stockton Downtown Marina and Weber
Part Three You can take the Delta Detective to lunch, but can you expect an interview in return? You can invite the Delta Detective to
Part Two In Part One, we introduced Japanese immigrant Kango Mitori and followed his family through their establishment in 1931 of a small “truck patch”
Bob’s Bait Shop, Isleton, CA, 1979 Remember the days before digital imaging took over? Don’t get me wrong, I love digital now because of the
Part One In 1990, the San Joaquin County Historical Society printed a booklet, written by Chiyo Mitori Shimamoto, called To the Land of Bright Promise:
Black-necked Stilt, Shin Kee Tract In 2009 I had never heard of Shin Kee Tract on the eastern edge of the Delta and west of
It’s an inconvenience…you have to go out and reset the clock. So every time you know…you have to reset everything. It’s a pain to wait
Part 2 A riverside dinner party celebrating the end of a Delta summer has paired the Delta Detective with an intelligent and inquisitive woman whose
Pipe Rats Back in the mid-1990’s I was privileged to document the seismic retrofitting of the East Bay Municipal Utility Districts aqueducts that bring water
Flooding can come at any time of year. Be prepared. Know the flood risks in your area. Have an emergency evacuation kit ready and be
Stocktonian Was the Greatest Inventor of Earthmoving Equipment Abraham Grunauer’s Whitehall Ranch near Tracy hired Robert G. LeTourneau (1888-1969) in 1919 to repair its old
Negotiating Memory and Access at the Antioch Dunes and Waterfront Part 1 introduces the current state of the Antioch Dunes Wildlife Refuge and covers the
Part One The sun is setting on the Delta summer. Time once again for the Delta Detective to attend his favorite harvestfest party. But with
“Some just don’t like change and these people didn’t want change.” — Shirley Paolini If you are anywhere near Rio Vista or the Diablo Range
Negotiating Memory and Access at the Antioch Dunes and Waterfront Part 2 (if you missed Part 1) Life Between Fences: Survival and Access at the
Negotiating Memory and Access at the Antioch Dunes and Waterfront Part I A Time Before Fences: Memories of Childhood at the Antioch Waterfront This is
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 11, 12 & 13, 2019 a team of runners will embark on a 150 mile run through California. One of the biggest
Understanding Emergency Evacuations In depth look at how emergency evacuations are proclaimed and carried out with focus on terminology and how different counties handle emergencies.
Introduction Helen Kenyon’s disappearance is the talk of the Delta. No wonder all the women in the Delta Detective’s life can’t help bringing the subject
The year was 1902 in Stockton, California. While trains carried people and goods from San Francisco Bay to Delta communities, boats were a primary means
The Cargill Salt Ponds are located in San Francisco Bay in the cities of Newark, Redwood City and Napa. The Napa and Redwood City operations
Revolution in the Tomato Industry Part one provided an overview of the canning tomato industry in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region. Here, in part two,
Part 1 of 2 Introduction In the summertime, as the classic Gershwin song assures us, “the livin’ is easy.” Unless you happen to be a
Major Crop Expanded with Mechanical Harvesting Tomatoes have been grown in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region since the Gold Rush and the region continues to
This year PG&E got approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to put into effect its Public Safety Power Shutdown Program. Part One is an overview of
When Getting Lost is Highly Recommended It’s fun to turn off the better traveled roads and onto those of questionable quality going who-knows-where. Not
New on Old and West goes East There is something about mixing—fresh and salt, old and new, east and west—that keeps our souls keen. I
Supporting a New Mormon Zion New Hope was a farming colony established in 1846 on the lower Stanislaus River to support the anticipated new western
This year PG&E got approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to put into effect its Public Safety Power Shutdown Program. Part One is an
Editor’s note about Soundings Magazine 8 1/2 months. Already? ! The title of this post refers to how long we’ve been publishing SoundingsMag. You might
Tinsley Island Every so often I like to take low and slow flights over the Delta just to see what I can see. In all
Editor’s note: We apologize for the error in Deputy Director Shellie Lima’s title in an earlier version of this video. It has now been corrected.
What started out as a short drive to the river for an after dinner Delta walk became something else altogether. As it happens, everything work
June 20 – 24, 2019, Stockton, California The Vietnam Moving Wall was in Stockton last month. I spent four days working a night shift patrolling
The Delta historically has been an agricultural paradise. But sometimes there is a disconnect between the agricultural community and the urban culture. A fourth generation
The settlement and development of Oakley is the experience of every pioneer California town. Originally a Native American paradise, this Delta settlement quickly becomes San
The gasoline-powered Holt 75 Caterpillar was the best-selling of the Holt tractors from 1914 to 1924. It established a reputation as a quality farming tractor
(From the files of the Delta Detective Agency) Having successfully traced “Little Red” Ryder-Hood to her cleverly concealed lair in the woods and allowed Iris
The Filbert Steps Revisited If you’ve climbed the world-famous Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, you may have seen the plaque crediting Grace
“One oil well would eliminate all those wind mills and you could make it look like a tree.” After enjoying the quietude, beauty, and splendor
California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or to see, but believe it or not, you won’t find it so hot if you ain’t got
Since the appearance of Peregrines at PG&E we have found nests on the Bay Bridge, on a boat moored near San Francisco Giants Oracle ballpark,
By Wednesday, “hump day’ to some, as the glorious weekend looms on the nearing horizon, most of us start thinking about what to do with
(From the files of the Delta Detective Agency) After solving the perplexing mystery of a missing San Francisco financier, resolving the problem of an unsuspected
THE HEALING POWER OF PLANTS OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR We think we know them. We’ve seen them in the woods, in gardens and along city
No, truck farmers didn’t grow trucks…rather, truck farmers were small-acreage family farmers who grew a variety of vegetables and fruits that were delivered by small
THE BEST CAMERA? People often ask me about equipment, favorite lenses, and accessories, but I tend to not focus so much on the hardware as
Editor’s Note: The Locke Foundation presents photography by James D. Motlow from his book, “Bitter Melon”. The exhibition runs now through September 30th at the
Yellow Iris, Levee Road Yellow Iris are an invasive species, but they fly their spring flags so brightly they are a delight to see every
When it comes to birds and the enjoyment of observing them, which is called birding these days, it’s the proverbial “location, location, location”. For many
https://youtu.be/2zGYctcNcxQ Part 4, Planning for the Future and Learning from the Past If you missed the first three installments, or just want a refresher –
Because it’s there. –George Mallory In the 1920’s, when George Mallory was touring to gain support for one of his expeditions, “Because it’s there”, was
Part 3, The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as a Unique Place This timely four-part video series is intended to educate the communities of the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Editor’s note – The following is a chapter from “Hot Rods and Custom Cars of the Sacramento Delta,” first published February, 2019 by History Press,
“You can’t go back home to your family, back home to your childhood… back home to a young man’s dreams of glory and of fame…
Changing Demographics: Shifts to Filipino and Mexican Labor Amidst this labor climate, the Federal Government passed the National Origins Act of 1924, severely curtailing Asian
https://youtu.be/ouBWar9dXBE Historic Breaks, Floods and What Caused Them This timely four-part video series is intended to educate the communities of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by
This cabin dates to 1911, and was part of the reconstruction effort after the catastrophic flood of 1903. Oral histories and old farm maps indicate
Moon Glow, Staten Island A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. — Maya Angelou Like a
Having lost his bid to adopt a stately office motto for the firm of Delta Detections and lacking time for the getaway of his dreams
https://youtu.be/C13lU3pF7fU Water Sources and How They Affect the Delta This timely four-part video series is intended to educate the communities of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California as a Delta Neighbor Gas well flare test, Bouldin Island What does it mean for our community when large
Collecting stories of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Because in the end literature helps to build that sense of place that the Delta seems to lack.
“To all of us kids, this 1992 picture of Mom and Dad represents their success in life.” -Gilberto, Jr. (photo courtesy the Lopez family) Perseverance,
Pampas Grass, Andrus Island, Circa 1985 Digging deep in the archives I ran across this Kodachrome slide from about 1985. I say, ‘about’, because the
1978, Roberts Island, California Delta – As day breaks after an overnight rain, asparagus harvest continues despite difficult conditions of sticky peat soil and rough
What’s your first experience with asparagus? Here’s mine: Disenchantingly gray-green, lifelessly limp and nothing like its picture on the can’s label. As a child I
As we join him for part three of our continuing serial, the senior investigator for Delta Detections is still hoping to get away from the
My friend Cenon, With a smile on his face, Empties the trash from my basket, Asks me how I’m doing, chides me if I’m working
Twitchell Island Poplars, 1981 That special place you go for the renewal you feel — that special place you have come to count on to
The Native American and Spanish Views It has been estimated that the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta region has been continuously inhabited between 10,000 to 13,000
Black arrows of winter come in pairs, building a sooty patch in theturning basin. I anchor out on the Delta, the sky the color of
Sky Light, circa 1976 Some things are just worth being late for. I was working for the Record newspaper in Stockton in the winter of
What do an ancient Roman philosopher, a brash and flamboyant singing cowboy and a San Francisco financial hustler have in common? Nothing. Unless they happen
I’m not just sharing something I really love, but also bringing people closer to nature in a way that makes them look at what’s going
Turning Basin, Port of Stockton Imagine you are 23 years old and you want to travel Europe for a while just to see what you
SOMETIMES WE JUST DON’T When it comes to wildlife photography, there is a lot of sitting and waiting. One afternoon, I sat in a patch
What do an ancient Roman philosopher, a brash and flamboyant singing cowboy and a San Francisco financial hustler have in common? Nothing. Unless they happen
Videographer and storyteller, Cyndy Green, gives us a glimpse of the event that has become a Delta tradition. The 39th annual “Frozen Bun Run” was
On Serendipity Yellow-eyed Cat, February 1986 This is a case of following one of my self-imposed rules. A rule that has been so good for
Hog Slough The California Delta is the largest estuary on the Pacific coast of this hemisphere and the source of freshwater for over 23 million
It’s probably impossible to identify the craziest thing ever done on the Delta, but “Ni” Orsi, Jr. has a contender: his father water skied behind
Night Flight, Hog Slough – photograph by Rich Turner What we encountered was not a material world but a natural world that, from my thinking,
Fruit of the vine. Yum. I’m guilty of not really paying attention to what it takes to get a bottle of wine to my table. So I asked a prominent California Delta wine grape grower and vintner if I could tag along while they labored to bring in their crush-ready crop of pinot noir grapes. For several fall harvest seasons I’ve been wanting to chase the odd looking machines that trundle up and down rows of wine grapes in the California Delta starting in early evening. The Clarksburg area, just south of Sacramento, has a state-wide reputation, and beyond, for the quality and variety of grapes and wines produced there. It’s a part of the Delta that I wander from time to time and when I see these unusual machines on rolling stilts at dusk, headlights blazing, I’ve made mental notes to ask permission to ride along. Unfortunately mental notes aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. But this season I say to myself, if not now when?
San Francisco’s morning fog is lifting as the Delta Dragons do warm-up exercises prior to running 300 meter sprint practices on Lake Merced. Whether they
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Autumn Migration is for the Birds Sunup Lift Off, Sandhill Cranes, Staten Island – photo by Rich Turner If you consider the Sacramento-San Joaquin River
Story and photographs by Eric Best It has been said by someone wise that you never step in the same river twice. Whatever you touch
Tugboat Engineer with an artist’s eye Zacate It might be mid-morning, when the sun finally breaks through the diffused glow of the San Francisco Bay
1862 Sacramento Flood Most of the first American settlers of the Delta came to California to quickly acquire a pile of gold. Few succeeded in the
