The state of Jefferson

A Jefferson state of mind
I was boppin’ down West Second Street the other day on my way to check out the Niana Liu show currently up at Chico State’s University Art Gallery (through Sept. 25—see Scene story, this issue) when Kirk Johnson popped out of the door of Konjo, the clothing boutique (formerly called BOHO) he helps his partner, Lily, run.

“Here, sister—put this on!” he said to me, smiling, as he handed me a salmon-pink T-shirt with the Great Seal of the State of Jefferson emblazoned on its front.

The state of Jefferson, for the uninitiated, is the name of the 51st state that pro-Jefferson folks would like to see created by combining the seven southernmost counties in Oregon with the 12 northernmost ones in California (and yes, Butte County is one of those).

The idea for the proposed state—named in honor of Thomas Jefferson—has been simmering since the area’s failed secession movement in 1941. Ashland, Ore.-based NPR affiliate Jefferson Public Radio is just one sign of the continued existence of the movement, as are the many green flags hanging in businesses on both sides of the Oregon-California border boasting the double-X Jefferson-state seal.

The movement’s focus on self-determination and local control of resources—water being high on the list—makes the more recent push by Jeffersonians particularly timely.

State of Jefferson T-shirts (designed by Johnson) are available at Konjo for $20 each; Konjo is located at 112 W. Second St. (342-1222).

More info on the state of Jefferson at www.jeffersonstate.com.

Repel the invaders!
It’s not too soon to sign up for the Sept. 24 Controlling Invasive Plants workshop, hosted by the Friends of the Chico State Herbarium, and taught by Susan Mason, the invasive-plants chair of the local Mount Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.

A weed, according to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, is “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth; especially one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.” An invasive weed—such as American pokeweed, puncturevine, Johnsongrass and yellow starthistle—can be both a figurative (and literal, in the case of puncturevine and starthistle) pain in the booty as it attempts to overtake native vegetation at alarming speed. Even larger invasive plants, such as the brooms—French, Scotch and Spanish—may be categorized as weeds due to their undesirability, and their ability to choke out natives while at the same time providing no habitat or food for native animals because of their toxicity.

The workshop, which will cover identification of common local weeds and effective, time-saving means to control them, will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and will be held in room 129 of Chico State’s Holt Hall. Cost is $35.

Since class size is limited to 25 people (and will be canceled without at least eight participants), signing up early is crucial.

For more information on workshop content, email Mason at <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">{ document.write(String.fromCharCode(60,97,32,104,114,101,102,61,34,109,97,105,108,116,111,58,115,109,97,115,111,110,57,48,56,64,103,109,97,105,108,46,99,111,109,34,62,115,109,97,115,111,110,57,48,56,64,103,109,97,105,108,46,99,111,109,60,47,97,62)) } </script>. For more info on signing up, contact the Chico State Biology Department Office at 898-5356 or send an e-mail to <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">{ document.write(String.fromCharCode(60,97,32,104,114,101,102,61,34,109,97,105,108,116,111,58,106,98,114,97,100,101,110,64,99,115,117,99,104,105,99,111,46,101,100,117,46,34,62,106,98,114,97,100,101,110,64,99,115,117,99,104,105,99,111,46,101,100,117,46,60,47,97,62)) } </script>.

“A little rebellion now and then is a good thing.” —Thomas Jefferson