Ken Smith, Author at Chico News & Review • Page 3 of 8

A beautiful nightmare

One of infamous/legendary filmmaker Ed Wood’s many contributions to the horror-camp canon is the screenplay for 1965’s Orgy of the Dead. In the movie, a couple of squares crash their car near a graveyard, and […]

Bem-vindo a minha casa

Step into Lili’s Brazilian Bistro most any time when the doors are open, and there’s a good chance you’ll find the restaurant’s proprietor and namesake, Lili Da Silva, somewhere within. If she’s not at the […]

It has to be Shasta

This feature is part of the CN&R’s Oct. 6 Election Issue. For more stories on the 2022 general election click here. Democratic challenger Max Steiner’s strategy to unseat long-time incumbent Doug LaMalfa for his seat […]

Mechoopda land restored

Chico State has returned 93 acres of the Butte Creek Ecological Reserve to the land’s former Native American inhabitants. Chico State Enterprises and the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria completed the transfer Sept. 26. […]

The Empire dives back

The roughly six-mile stretch of The Midway between Chico and Durham is a scenic short drive—or moderate-length bike ride—at any time of the year. In spring, the surrounding almond orchards bloom with pink-tinged white blossoms, […]

Tour of duty

Since forming more than 15 years ago, Ukrainian avant-folk group DhakaBrakha has served as cultural ambassadors for that country. The band was born in Kyiv’s Dakh Contemporary Arts Center, a world-renown experimental theater, and its […]

Body of artwork

Sailors famously love ’em; nowadays, so do soccer moms. Walk into a coffee-house, and you’re likely to find a barista with more art on one arm than the average biker gang. You might even find […]

Tales of murder

In the sweltering summer of 1978, a violent sexual predator and murderer terrorized the North State, claiming victims from Redding and one from Chico. In 1997, a pathological sporting goods salesman from Cottonwood who claimed […]

It’s all in the name

A touch of swagger is essential if you want to compete in the barbecue game. It’s a business where, from backyards to brick-and-mortar storefronts, bragging rights and word-of-mouth praise are a grillmaster’s stock and trade. […]

String awakening

Ryan Davidson is in love. Perhaps obsessively so, he admitted one recent morning as he stood behind his workbench surrounded by the objects of his affection: violins, in all states of construction and repair, from […]

Adobada cadabra!

The border town of Tijuana, Mexico, is known for a lot of different things. Those of us who’ve spent significant amounts of time there might bicker about what aspects of the city’s reputation are deserved […]

Living the dream

Midway through the opening-night performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as the sun set on a makeshift stage area at the edge of Bidwell Park’s Cedar Grove, the Bard’s words were momentarily drowned out by […]

Sprouting anew

Of the many colorful buildings lining Park Avenue in South Chico, the 1078 Gallery—with its vibrant orange exterior, sky-blue trim and florid exterior murals—is among the most vibrant. Throughout this month, the building’s colorful interior […]

Chico armed for battle?

Concerned Citizens for Justice (CC4J), a local police watchdog group, is rallying for public input during the City Council meeting tonight (April 19, 6 p.m.) regarding the adoption of a city ordinance overseeing the Chico […]

‘Arts in the wild’

This feature is part of the Chico News & Review’s 2022 Arts & Music special issue. Imagine an evening spent watching steampunks and sprites frolicking among the trees at Bidwell Park’s Cedar Grove; or how […]

Chico News & Review

Articles by Ken Smith