Charlie Brown (or at least a statue of him in Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square) finally gets some attention from a little red-haired girl, 6-year-old Sierra Riley, left, along with 4-year-old Cassidy Riley. (Christopher Chung/Santa Rosa Press Democrat photo)
These articles are arranged from the most recent down, so you'll always find the newest news about Charlie Brown and his friends toward the top; older articles will be located further down, or on previous pages.
Youre all over town, Charlie Brown!
Santa Rosa honors Charles Schulz and the Peanuts gang with a
colorful public art celebration
August 19, 2005
By Derrick Bang
The Davis (California) Enterprise
I guess we can blame the Chicago cows.
In the summer of 1999, the city of Chicago was invaded by 330 large
fiberglass cows, each decorated in a different fashion by artists who
displayed both impressive creativity and, in many cases, a healthy sense
of whimsy. (A bovine Marilyn Monroe? Really, now...) After they kept
Chicagos citizens on the moo-ve during the hot summer months,
scrambling to photograph -- and be photographed with -- as many cows as
possible, the statues were gathered together and auctioned off that
October, with the proceeds earmarked for more public art.
Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery -- and recognizing a
perfect way to increase tourism, bolster civic pride and raise some
bucks along the way -- cities and states across the country responded
with similar displays of everything from moose (Toronto, the summer of
2000) and pigs (Seattle, the summer of 2001) to oil drums (El Dorado,
Ark., the spring of 2000) and Mr. Potato Head (all of Rhode Island, the
summer of 2000).
Which brings us to Santa Rosa, and this summers 55th anniversary
tribute to Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz Its Your Town, Charlie
Brown.
All summer, visitors to Santa Rosa can scramble throughout the city
while trying to find 55 life-size statues of Schulzs favorite
blockhead, good ol Charlie Brown. Although all the statues began life
with assembly-line sameness as constructed by TivoliToo, a design and
sculpture company in St. Paul, Minn. -- pure white, in a smiling,
friendly pose, the right arm at his side, the left outstretched -- what
emerged in late May is a colorful cornucopia of Chucks, each more
charming than the last.
Every statue has a title and a theme some deliberately humorous,
some unashamedly reflective of their sponsors businesses, some an
affectionate nod to some aspect of Schulzs life and career, some simply
bizarre.
Local businesses paid $5,000 to sponsor a statue, and an additional
$2,000 if they wished to keep it.
The statues have been stationed throughout the entire city, from
the way-way-way northern tip (Maestro Brown, en route to Santa Rosas
Charles M. Schulz Airport) to the southern extremity (Jacksons Cousin
Charlie, at the base of Santa Rosa Avenue). Many are isolated, a few
quite difficult to find even with a map; others clump together for
security ... although Linus familiar blue blanket is nowhere in sight.
Actually, Santa Rosa isnt the first city to jump on this
particular bandwagon, although -- thanks to Schulzs longtime presence
in this Northern California city, during the bulk of his professional
career -- this summers celebration makes perfect sense.
The undisputed winner of citywide outdoor displays is St. Paul,
Minn., which first honored native son Charles M. Schulz -- he resided in
this state until the late 1950s -- during the summer of 2000, with
Peanuts on Parade, a popular collection of 101 public art Snoopy
statues displayed throughout the city. The following summer found 102
statues of the newspaper strips favorite blockhead in the Charlie
Brown Around Town celebration, and ol Chucks football-pulling nemesis
was featured when Looking for Lucy placed 103 statues throughout the
city during the summer of 2002.
Lucys younger brother earned his spot in the limelight during the
summer of 2003, when 91 statues popped up for the Linus Blankets St.
Paul celebration, and the series concluded last summer -- so its
claimed, anyway -- with 104 statues of Snoopy and Woodstock on his
doghouse, during the Doghouse Days of Summer.
In each case, dozens of statues were gathered together at the end
of the summer and auctioned off during spirited bidding sessions that
raised all sorts of money for various causes. And no surprise If you
had a spare $10,000-$20,000, how could you resist the opportunity to
accent your garden with a life-size sculpture of, say, Lucy painted to
resemble the Statue of Liberty?
Santa Rosas Summer of Charlie will conclude in similar fashion. On
Sept. 15, all the statues will be moved to the central Old Courthouse
Square, in anticipation of the daylong celebration on Sunday, Sept. 25.
A Blockhead Party will take place from 1030 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day
in the Old Courthouse Square, with food, music and crafts for visitors
of all ages.
Starting at 4 p.m., a live auction of about 20 statues will take
place at Snoopys Home Ice -- The Redwood Empire Ice Arena, at 1667 W.
Steele Lane -- and the proceeds will go toward art scholarships and a
permanent bronze figure at the Charles M. Schulz Airport.
Itll be a chip off the ol blockhead.
*****
Although this wasnt the case with Chicago and those 330 cows, its
quite reasonable to budget a single day for finding and photographing
all 55 of Santa Rosas Charlie Brown statues. Yes, itll be a long day,
and its likely to be something of a scramble, so plan ahead. Start your
research with a visit to the official Web site at
www.PeanutsOnParade.com, which will re-direct you to the city of Santa
Rosas site for Its Your Town, Charlie Brown. In addition to
background information, youll find a link to two maps -- greater Santa
Rosa, with a close-up of the downtown area -- bearing numbered bullets
that correspond to the statue locations.
However...
The map doesnt have anywhere near enough identified street
references, so youll want a detailed standard map of the city, such as
can be purchased at a bookstore ... or picked up at the Santa Rosa
Visitors Center, in Railroad Square, adjacent to artist Stan
Pawlowskis permanent bronze sculptures of Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
Youll also find copies of the Santa Rosa Press Democrats official
statue brochure, which includes the two maps from the Web site, along
with thumbnail sketches -- and street addresses -- of the statues.
However...
Some of them have been moved, due to the insufferable inevitability
of vandalism. The first surfboard that accompanied Surf Chuck, at 309
D St., was stolen less than 48 hours after the statue went up. Smashed
Peanuts on Gold Rush, the statue in front of the Sonoma County Museum,
had to be replaced repeatedly. The diploma was taken from Charlie Brown
Exchange Bank Doyle Scholar, in front of the Fourth Street Exchange Bank.
More recently, somebody ripped an arm off Dive On In, Charlie
Brown and tipped him over.
A stethoscope was lifted from the neck of The Doctor Is In, in
front of Richard Stein Medical Offices. Small plastic Charlie Brown and
Snoopy figurines were taken from Full Spectrum Charlie, which prompted
its move from Courthouse Square to a new spot in front of the police
station. The sunglasses were removed from Aloha Charlie in Courthouse
Square, so it was moved to the nearby Luther Burbank Gardens.
Up-to-the-minute information on statue relocation can be obtained
from the Visitors Center; the moves are not shown at the Web site. And
while the Doghouse Information Booth in Old Courthouse Square is the
official source of information -- and souvenirs -- for this celebration,
its hours (noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday) are not conducive to
your need for an early-morning start. Youre better off trying the
Visitors Center or Snoopys Home Ice.
*****
OK, so youve properly researched this mission Youre well-armed
with maps, addresses, cameras and rolls of extra film. Bundle lots of
folks into a single large vehicle -- or caravan with several cars -- and
toss plenty of bottled water, fruit juice and soda into some coolers.
This suggestion to include the entire family is made with good reason
Youll want plenty of eyes to help spot statues in some of the more
obscure and out-of-the-way locations.
On our hunt, for example, our group never would have found Doing
Well by Doing Good, had it not been for the timely intervention of two
eagle-eyed teenage girls in another van that was making the rounds at
roughly the same time. The actual address of this statue -- 3510 Unocal
Place -- is little more than a glorified driveway, and Chuck is not
visible from the street. But the aforementioned girls did spot it while
briefly stopped in a parking lot on the hillside overlooking Unocal
Place, after having found Charlie Bacchus Brown outside of Paradise
Ridge Winery ... and they flagged us down as we drove past, and shared
the news.
We began at 9 a.m. and went top to bottom on the map, starting with
Maestro Brown and heading south, ticking off statues as we found them.
That approach brought us to the downtown area just in time for lunch,
which we enjoyed in the large Santa Rosa Plaza Mall ... also home to two
of its own statues, Say Hey, Charlie Brown! and Youre a Good
Shopper, Charlie Brown.
We then resumed our southward journey, suitably fortified for the
rest of the day.
This plan will catch all statues except one Depending on the day,
you might need to double back to Micheles Restaurant (521 Adams St.)
during working hours, in order to see Chef Charlie. This statue has
had a more exciting life than most; it was stolen June 4, and then
returned -- under somewhat mysterious circumstances -- a few days later.
Restaurant owner Bob Forsyth, taking no further chances, has moved his
summer mascot indoors.
Alternatively, if you want a soul-satisfying big fix of statues
all at once, youll find half a dozen in the complex that includes the
Charles M. Schulz Museum, the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, and Snoopys
Gallery and Gift Shop. The museum has three (two outside the main
entrance, and one in the lobby), the skating rink has two (both outside
the main entrance), and the gift shop has one (also just outside the
main entrance).
One stop, and youve nailed 11 percent of the total. Thats gotta
feel good.
You cant help being delighted by the entire process; theres just
something irresistible about dozens of huge Charlie Browns, every one of
them cheerfully waiting to be photographed while draped with various
friends and family members.
And given the short-term loan required to finance a family outing
to most theme parks, theres also a lot to be said for a rollicking
adventure that wont cost a dime.
Youre a good man, Charlie Brown!
A Nutty Canine Contest
August 9, 2005
Editor and Publisher
NEW YORK -- The MuttsComics.com site is holding a contest asking
people to guess the weight in Peanuts of cartoonist Patrick McDonnells
real-life dog Earl.
Peanuts were chosen as a reference to the Peanuts strip. The
contest celebrates the Top Dogs Comic Canines Before and After Snoopy
exhibit thats running until Sept. 26 at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in
Santa Rosa, California.
McDonnell is curator of the show, whose many cartoon canines
include the comic-strip version of Earl -- the co-star of Mutts.
The contest, which ends Aug. 15, offers a grand prize of a signed
limited-edition print and T-shirt commemorating the Schulz museum event.
There are first and second prizes, too.
McDonnells Mutts is distributed by King Features Syndicate, and
the late Schulzs Peanuts reruns are syndicated by United Media.
Its Plain They Love Peanuts
Youre a big draw, Charlie Brown -- especially in the city of Santa
Rosa, where your Minnesota-born creator became a favorite son
August 8, 2005
By Jocelyn Y. Stewart
The Los Angeles Times
SANTA ROSA -- In tribute to Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz,
who lived and worked in this city for four decades, Santa Rosa has
painted the town Brown.
Fifty-five large sculptures of Charlie Brown stand sentry
throughout Santa Rosa, offering proof that although he was a loser in
love, baseball and everything else, Charlie Brown wins the game of
attracting tourists.
This June, after the installation of the statues, the number of
people stopping in at the Santa Rosa Convention and Visitors Bureau
increased by more than 50% to a record 6,660, said Mo Renfro, the
bureaus executive director.
Many are looking for Charlie Brown.
Were getting visitors from all over, literally, said Santa Rosa
City Councilwoman Janet Condron, who helped organize the Its Your Town
Charlie Brown celebration, which also commemorates the comic strips
55th anniversary. The recognition of Charles Schulz and the Peanuts
characters is international.
Just as artists decorated statues of cows in Chicago and angels in
Los Angeles, artists in Santa Rosa were allowed to paint blank statues
as they saw fit.
Like Snoopy imagining himself as a World War I flying ace, Charlie
Brown was depicted in different personas Good Grief, Its Superman!,
painted with a red cape, blue tights and black hair; Aloha Charlie,
wearing a Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses and a lei; and Surf Chuck, with
suntan and surfboard.
But the summer celebration has had its good grief! moments.
In June, someone stole Charlie Brown, dressed as a chef, from his
spot in front of Micheles Restaurant. He reappeared after co-owner Bob
Forsyth offered a $2,500 reward. But vandals have forced the relocation
and repair of other sculptures.
Hes inside the restaurant now, Forsyth said. I dont want him
to disappear.
Fifty-five miles north of San Francisco, Santa Rosa is near 200
wineries, has its own symphony and boasts the famous Luther Burbank Home
& Gardens.
Schulz spent the last 40 years of his life in the Sonoma County
town, which dubbed him the most beloved resident of the 20th century.
He is known locally as Sparky, the nickname given to him as an infant.
The man who gave the world Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the
Peanuts gang also gave much to this community. In 1969, Schulz and his
wife built the Redwood Empire Skating Arena -- also known as Snoopys
Home Ice -- which once played host to an annual Christmas show with
nationally known skaters.
Every child whos grown up in our community has been to there for
lessons, birthdays, Condron said of the arena. Then the senior hockey
tournament held here brought people from all over.
Next to the arena is the Warm Puppy Cafe, where Schulz ate
breakfast most mornings before heading to his nearby studio to draw. In
2002, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center opened, featuring
more than 7,000 original strips, cartooning classes for children, and
discussions with cartoonists.
Jim and Susan Green and their dog, Harry, recently stopped at the
museum on their way to British Columbia from their home near Houston.
They came because of the effect Schulz had on us individually and also
on America, because of the Charlie Brown in each of us, and because of
Schulzs message about the love between man and dog, they said.
Hanging on a wall in the museum is a strip that summarizes their
view. Thats what it all boils down to You have a dog, be happy,
Susan Green said, as if quoting a philosopher. Keep it simple. We have
a lot to be grateful for.
Then the Greens headed out to find Charlie Brown. They planned to
photograph Harry with the statues and e-mail the images to their
grandchildren.
Santa Rosa isnt the only city that claims a special bond with the
cartoonist. Schulz spent his childhood in St. Paul, Minnesota. For six
years it has held a Peanuts-themed statue celebration, beginning with
Peanuts on Parade in 2000. That summer, 101 statues of Snoopy were
stationed throughout the city. Each year, members of the Schulz family
traveled to St. Paul for the event, which inspired Schulzs son Craig, a
Santa Rosa resident, to suggest a similar event.
Artists in Santa Rosa spent four days painting the statues in a
warehouse, with the public invited to watch. Each polyurethane statue is
bolted to a concrete base. The combined statue and base weighs 500
pounds and stands 5 feet tall.
We let people be as free as they wanted to be, said Craig Schulz,
the celebrations co-chairman who reviewed and approved all of the
designs. His 16-year-old daughter, Lindsey, helped paint Holiday
Special, a Charlie Brown statue covered with scenes from animated TV
specials such as A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Photos of all 55 statues can be found under the visitors section of
the citys Web site http//ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/.
Local business owners paid $5,000 to have a statue placed at their
establishment, and $7,000 to own one. About 20 statues will be auctioned
off in September after a Blockhead Party. The proceeds will fund art
scholarships and help pay for a permanent bronze Peanuts statue at the
countys airport, renamed Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport after
his death in 2000.
In addition to attracting tourists, the statues have drawn locals
out of their neighborhoods.
It has a tendency to bring people together, said Craig Schulz.
Its what I call rediscovering Santa Rosa. Its been phenomenal so far.
Some of the statues have had a hard time. Vandals ripped the arm
off Dive On In, Charlie Brown, and tipped him over. They crushed the
gold leaf-covered Peanuts attached to Gold Rush, and stole the
sunglasses off another statue.
As Charlie Brown might say Rats!
Like any other community, were experiencing some gang
situations, Condron said.
Such harsh treatment isnt evident most days. What is more obvious
are the families snapping photographs around Charlie Brown, each with a
Peanuts story.
Janet and Tim Sandis of Mountain View recently visited Santa Rosa.
Born and raised in Greece, Tim knew nothing about Charlie Brown until he
met Janet, then 25 years old and a Peanuts lover. That love persisted
through parenting, work, retirement and now illness. Multiple sclerosis
has left Janet, now 60, in a wheelchair. It has robbed her of tennis and
the symphony, things she once enjoyed.
So Tim, 75, brought her to Santa Rosa. He wheeled her through the
museums halls and past the Charlie Brown statues. They purchased a
T-shirt for their daughter, who recently graduated from art school.
The town was good for Janet Sandis.
Her spirits are still high from the trip, said Tim Sandis, days
later. Shes really a fan.
Awesome Bill on his way back to Memphis
Elliott gets early start on Christmas with the Peanuts gang
August 8, 2005
The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina)
INDIANAPOLIS -- In a collaboration revealed today during a media
event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, United Media, the licensing and
syndication company for Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz; Evernham
Motorsports; driver Bill Elliott; Memphis Motorsports Park and Action
Performance Companies Inc. unveiled a special No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge
Charger featuring everybodys favorite blockhead, Charlie Brown, and
his famous Christmas tree from the animated television special, A
Charlie Brown Christmas.
Elliott is scheduled to drive the car during the upcoming NASCAR
Busch Series race at Memphis Motorsports Park on Oct. 22.
Today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Charlie Brown and Snoopy were
on hand to help Elliott unveil the race car, which was created to honor
the 40th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Action Performance
Companies, the leader in licensed motorsports collectibles, designed the
paint scheme featured on the No. 6 Hungry Drivers/A Charlie Brown
Christmas Dodge Charger. Action also has a Web site devoted to the
program at www.action-performance.com/charliebrown.
As we gear up for the 40th Anniversary of A Charlie Brown
Christmas, a classic television special that people of all ages tune in
to watch each and every year, theres no better way to commemorate the
occasion than by partnering with a sporting event like a NASCAR race,
which is equally adored by the public, said Christina Nix-Lynch,
director of promotions for United Media. Everyone knows that Charlie
Browns Christmas tree needs a little encouragement, and Im sure it
will get just that as it races around the Memphis track on Bill
Elliotts No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge Charger.
In addition to imagery from the 1965 holiday classic and an
official 40th anniversary logo, the No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge features
sponsorship identifiers from Hellmanns mayonnaise. This season,
Unilever Foods signed on with Evernham Motorsports as the primary
sponsor of the No. 6 Dodge Charger. Throughout the 2005 season, the car
has appeared in NASCAR Busch Series races with different drivers at the
wheel and rotating Unilever Foods brand sponsors on the hood.
Additionally, the title sponsor of the race, Sams Town-Tunica, and
their parent company Boyd Gaming will also be featured on the No. 6 car
as an associate sponsor for this race.
Partnering with United Media on this special Peanuts program
provided a wonderful opportunity to heighten awareness of our No. 6
Hungry Drivers NASCAR Busch Series team, explained Ray Evernham, the
president and CEO of Evernham Motorsports. Having Bill Elliott in the
drivers seat is an added bonus. I hope the fans at Memphis Motorsports
Park enjoy seeing Charlie Brown and Snoopy at the racetrack. All of us
at Evernham Motorsports are excited to be the team bringing the Peanuts
back to NASCAR.
When Elliott, a fan-favorite with two Daytona 500 wins and 44
NASCAR Cup Series career victories, debuts the No. 6 Hungry Drivers/A
Charlie Brown Christmas Dodge Charger at Memphis Motorsports Park,
Snoopy and Charlie Brown again will join him for some fun. Both Snoopy
and Charlie Brown will have special race-day duties, including a parade
lap prior to the race and waving the green flag to signify the races start.
Just having Bill Elliott back at the racetrack is a draw for most
NASCAR fans, said Fred Wagenhals, Action Performances chairman,
president and CEO. Teaming Bill up with the Peanuts characters simply
makes it an even more enriching experience. It is a union of two beloved
American classics -- an extremely popular NASCAR champion and an
enduring comic strip -- that still never fail to inspire their fans.
We are thrilled to have Awesome Bill back in Memphis for the
second year in a row for our NASCAR Busch Series Sams Town 250, and
honored to be a part of the 40 years that Charlie Brown has been a part
of everyones Christmas season, said Jason Rittenberry, Memphis
Motorsports Park Vice President and General Manager. What a treat for
us and the fans to have not one but two remarkable characters in the
same car when they come to Memphis on October 22.
For information about Evernham Motorsports team die-cast
collectibles and other racing-inspired merchandise, please contact
Actions standard distribution channels. To reach an Action Racing
Collectables distributor, call the locator line at 1-800-411-8404 or use
the ARC dealer locator tool online at www.action-performance.com. Racing
Collectables Club of America, a members-only collector club, can be
reached at 1-800-952-0708 or on the Web at goracing.com.
For information on tickets to the October 22 NASCAR Busch Series
Sams Town 250, contact Memphis Motorsports Parks ticket office at
1-866-40-SPEED or visit memphismotorsportspark.com.
Wisdom of Peanuts boiled down
July 10, 2005
By Ina Hughs
The Knoxville [Kentucky] News-Sentinel
Keep looking up. Thats the secret of life.
Those words sound like passages from some long-standing sacred text, but actually it was our friend Snoopy who came up with them in one of Charles Schulzs cartoons. Snoopy doesnt look 50-plus years old on the shiny black cover of the newly released Peanuts Guide to Life (Running Press, $12.96) But he is, as are the famous beagles playmates, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and the rest.
I have a fair collection of Peanuts books, but this one is my favorite. Rather than being a book of selected cartoons, it is a collection of punch lines and other one-sentence words of wisdom gleaned from half a centurys worth of Schulzs work. One-frame line drawings of the witty character coming up with the quote illustrate each page.
It is impossible to be gloomy when youre sitting behind a marshmallow, says Lucy, the cutest pop psychologist ever to open a for-fee practice.
Poor Linus seems to learn all his lessons the hard way Never jump into a pile of leaves holding a wet sucker.
But its Snoopy who seems the most quotable. Hes the real philosopher in the group. Its better to live one day as a lion than a dozen years as a sheep, he waxes profoundly atop his house, the little bird sitting at his feet as if the pooch were Plato reincarnated. Which, who knows, he might be!
The Peanuts comic strip has been a regular feature in 2,300 newspapers and more than 1,400 books -- not to mention TV specials, Broadway productions, movies and greeting cards.
We learn from Bill Cosby in the books introduction that when shy little Sparky -- Charles Schulzs childhood nickname -- was 4 years old, someone gave him a blackboard that had a roll of paper on top and the alphabet spelled out. It became his favorite toy and the beginning of a legacy that still grows, even after Schulzs death more than five years ago.
One of the most interesting books to cross my desk in past weeks is Bradley Trevor Greives The Blue Day Book for Kids (Andrews McMeel, $9.95) -- a spin-off of his wildly successful (some 10 million copies sold worldwide) The Blue Day Book written for adults.
It would seem that someone who has written 10 books and is, according to his publisher, a former paratroop platoon commander, award-winning artist, cartoonist, poet, toy designer, screenwriter and inventor would be too busy to be blue, but thats been his ticket to literary fame. His cheer-up book for kids uses black-and-white photographs of animals, with caption advice under each.
On the first page, a whiter-than-white polar bear with dark polar bear eyes and a turned-down mouth asks, Have you ever had a blue day?
Greives premise for the book is that kids -- especially in todays complicated world -- get sad and anxious, depressed and glum just as adults do, but the youngsters dont understand what it means, why its happening to them, or that the mood will pass, that it doesnt mean something is wrong with them.
A bear with his paws over his eyes and a downcast demeanor explains, A blue day is a day when nothing goes right and you feel kind of lousy.
You might feel grumpy, a mean-mad gorilla adds, hunched against the wall, arms folded on his knees.
Theres a kitten looking to all the world like shes given up trying to lift the 100-pound arm weights shes got her paws on. She looks into the readers eyes Everything seems impossible on a blue day.
By the end of the book, a laughing pig, a mischievous river otter and a cross-eyed orangutan have cheered up every kid-blue reader in tarnation.
Theres something about Charlie
June 20, 2005
By Chris Coursey
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
I was a skeptic about this whole Charlie Brown thing.
After all, how much buzz can be generated by a bunch of statues of a round-headed kid who hasnt appeared in a new comic strip since the death of his creator in February 2000?
Quite a bit, as it turns out.
Since 55 individually decorated Charlie Browns first appeared around Santa Rosa at the end of May, tourists have thronged the citys Convention and Visitors Bureau at the old depot in Railroad Square.
Weve been getting 300, 400, 500 people a day, said Alice Richardson, a bureau staffer. It is incredible.
Bureau Director Mo Renfro said the office tallied 500 visitors Memorial Day, compared to 90 on that holiday last year.
Tourism is bouncing back, so thats part of the picture, too, Renfro said. But people are coming here to see the Charlie Browns.
She related the story of a man from Vienna, Austria, who showed up at the bureau in search of information about the Its Your Town, Charlie Brown display. He said hed never heard of Santa Rosa, but came across information about the statues when he typed Snoopy into the Google search engine. Suddenly, Santa Rosa became a critical part of a three-week vacation in California.
Who would have thought that the stiff left arms of these static plastic Charlies could reach so far?
I often eat my lunch while sitting in Old Courthouse Square, usually in a spot that recently has become home to Impressionist Charlie Brown, a statue created by artists Kristina Lucas and Ann Frowick.
Ive heard more than one critic suggest the statue looks like it has chicken pox.
But that doesnt seem to put anyone off. Kids run up to hug it unabashedly. Men pat it on its big bald head. Tourists of all ages stop by for a picture. And hardly anyone passes by without giving this Charlie a smile.
One afternoon, a stooped man in ragged clothes was lurking around that corner of the square, and I was sure he was going to ask me for spare change. Instead, he stopped two teenage girls, held out a disposable camera and asked them to take his picture with Charlie.
On other days, two very elderly women came by for pictures with the statue. So did two young couples speaking what sounded to me like Japanese, each of them wearing a brand-new Peanuts-themed T-shirt. So did a family with three little kids, each of whom put an arm around Charlie for a portrait. And, most surprisingly to me, so did four guys who appeared to be in their 30s. While they used the statue for some crude pantomime, they also each had their picture taken with it.
And thats just one Charlie. Multiply that by 55 and its fair to say that this blockhead is a hit.
Its not all sweetness with Santa Rosas Charlies, though. Some have been vandalized; one has been stolen (and later returned). Several have been moved to safer locations. A Plexiglas box has been erected around artist Jack Stuppins Charlie outside the Sonoma County Museum, from which gold-covered peanuts had been disappearing.
Unfortunately, all that also is part of your town, Charlie Brown.
The vandalism apparently will force a change in plans for a mass gathering of the statues at the end of the summer. Instead of marshaling them in Courthouse Square from Sept. 15-25, the events steering committee this afternoon will meet to finalize a decision to move that event to a ball field behind the Schulz Museum off Steele Lane.
Thats too bad. Besides sending the wrong message about downtown, it lets a few knuckleheads put a damper on an experience that otherwise has been more positive than I ever would have predicted.
Royal Guardsmen reunite to make musical magic
June 15, 2005
By Michael Fortuna
The Village Daily Sun [Florida]
THE VILLAGES -- After performing at a local high school reunion, the Royal Guardsmen wanted to see if more musical magic could be made.
Judging from the audiences reaction Monday night at Savannah Center, that magic is alive and well. Snoopy and the Red Baron have joined the fray once more.
With Chris Nunley on lead vocals, harmonica, and percussion; Pat Waddell on lead guitar; Barry Winslow on rhythm guitar and vocals; Bill Taylor on keyboards; Bill Balogh on bass; and Rick Cosner on drums, the Royal Guardsmen brought back to life Snoopy Vs. the Red Baron and other hits from the 1960s.
I didnt think itd be possible, Balogh said. Im glad its happening.
The group, originally from Ocala, paid tribute to their musical heroes, the Beatles, by playing a medley of the Fab Fours hits, including I Saw Her Standing There, A Hard Days Night, and Nowhere Man.
They also performed The Return of the Red Baron, Leaving Me, I Say Love, a reggae version of Airplane Song, the unreleased rock-laced tune Lady You Look Good Tonight, and got the audience involved with Peanut Butter.
Balogh, who was one of the founding members of the group, started out on the guitar but later switched to the bass.
No one wanted to play bass, Balogh said.
Winslow got hooked on music when he was a child. Then girls came along and changed things, he said. He picked up the guitar when he was 14, and two years later, he discovered the Beatles.
I saw it was OK to be left-handed [after seeing Paul McCartney play], Winslow said.
As for the groups big hit, Snoopy Vs. the Red Baron, Winslow said that they were given a sheet of paper with the lyrics and a note to give it a military drum feel.
We played it just as hokey as we could do it, Winslow said. They [the producers] loved it.
Nunley said that the group wanted to write and play songs similar to what the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were coming up with.
To us, it was a frivolous novelty song, Nunley said. We were hoping [the producers] wouldnt like it.
Within a few weeks of recording the song, Snoopy was being played across the country, including AM stations in big markets like New York. On Billboard magazines Pop Singles charts, it went all the way to No. 2.
It was great, Nunley said. A dream come true. Despite our efforts, it became a huge hit.
The Royal Guardsmen hadnt played together in more than 30 years until last year. Winslow was steeped in a career in Christian music in Missouri, while the others had their own occupations in and out of music. Winslow called it a long sabbatical.
Last October, they were asked to play at the 50-year band reunion; in fact, four of the Royal Guardsmen were in the Lake Weir High School band. After three days of two-hour practices, the band played a 45-minute set for the reunion.
We never thought any more about it, Winslow said.
It was just to play for old times sake, Nunley said.
Then their agent started calling the band members back to see about returning to the stage for a full-blown concert.
And here we are, Winslow said. Were going to go have some fun. Im amazed were all still alive.
The band will be playing in Clearwater in July, and they have a cruise date next January; the rest is up in the air.
If the people like it, well carry on and see where it takes us, Winslow said.
Schulzs lovable loser lost no more
Missing Charlie Brown statue returned to restaurant owner; security may be beefed up after 10 statues vandalized
June 9, 2005
By Oskar F. Garcia
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Its a crime wave, Charlie Brown.
Chef Charlie, one of 55 decorated Charlie Brown statues spread around Santa Rosa as part of a public art project and fund-raiser, was returned Monday to Micheles Restaurant after being stolen two days earlier. Restaurant owner Bob Forsyth paid a $2,500 reward for the return of the 6-foot, polyurethane comic strip character.
But Chef Charlies return masked a broader concern about damage to the whimsical statues, 10 of which have been victimized by vandals or thieves, and sponsors said Monday they are contemplating more security measures to protect the art works.
Theres going to be a small amount of vandalism and it depends on the ownership that the community takes of the project, said Anita Templer, who oversaw a similar project in Healdsburg last summer that placed 35 miniature Fiberglass trucks throughout the city.
Templer said art projects with appendages and things to break off often are easy to target for people who want to vandalize. She said one of last years trucks was adorned with oversized colored pencils that were stolen fairly quickly.
City Councilwoman Janet Condron met with the steering committee in charge of the project Monday afternoon to discuss security as well as the possibility of moving a planned public viewing and auction scheduled for September.
Condron declined to provide details of the steering committees discussion or say how security might be improved.
Meanwhile, in Railroad Square, friends of Chef Charlie were overjoyed at their friends return.
Forsyth said he wouldnt identify the man who returned the statue early Monday morning. He said the man told him he got it from the people who originally stole it and he wanted to return it without the thieves getting in trouble.
Its a done deal, said Forsyth, who promised the no-questions-asked reward. Ive already given him my word.
Police Sgt. Gary Negri said police would not pursue their investigation any further.
Theyre content to have it back, and at this point theyre not requesting us to continue with any investigation, and thats kind of where it is, he said.
He said he hoped the incident would deter future thefts, as any would-be thief would have to fear his friends and neighbors might turn him in for a reward.
Each statue is the product of TivoliToo Designs and Sculpting Studios of St. Paul, Minn., which supplied the statues at a cost of $3,000 each. Businesses, nonprofit groups and individuals are sponsoring statues at $5,000 each, which earn them the right to decorate and display them.
But Charles Schulzs lovable loser is proving too tempting to thieves and vandals.
The first surfboard that accompanied the Charlie Brown near D and Fourth streets was stolen less than 48 hours after the statue went up. Smashed peanuts on the statue in front of the Sonoma County Museum had to be replaced.
There seems to be an interest in taking something off of them, Condron said of the statues being targeted.
Negri said he feared the vandalism would continue, and he has recommended that the statues be displayed in enclosed lobbies or be put on wheels so they can be easily stored at night.
The other statue casualties were
The diploma was taken from Charlie Brown Exchange Bank Doyle Scholar in front of the Fourth Street Exchange Bank.
A stethoscope was lifted from the neck of The Doctor is In in front of Richard Stein Medical Offices.
Small plastic Charlie Brown and Snoopy figurines were taken from Full Spectrum Charlie, which prompted its removal from Courthouse Square to in front of the police station.
The sunglasses were removed from Aloha Charlie in Courthouse Square, so it was moved to the Luther Burbank Gardens nearby.
A fake credit card was removed from the hand of Youre a Good Shopper, Charlie Brown! that was placed in front of Santa Rosa Plaza.
The original hollow baseball bat accompanying The ART of the Game statue was taken from in front of Pine Creek Properties on Montecito Boulevard.
Downtown Charlie Brown, which stands in front of the Sonoma County Library on E Street, had its face smashed, but details werent available.
Currently, all 55 statues are scheduled to be in Courthouse Square for two weeks leading up to the public party and auction on Sept. 25. The auction will take place at Snoopys Home Ice on Steele Lane.
Now, sponsors are contemplating moving the public viewing to a field near the ice rink.
Were looking at it very seriously right now, Condron said. The security will just be easier there.
Condron said the committee would make a formal decision in one to two weeks.
She said neither the city nor the steering committee had any provisions for offering rewards in case of future thefts, noting Forsyth took the initiative on his own.
Who knows whether its going to encourage something further? Condron said. The reality is, what could you do with it? So Im not concerned that its going to create a bigger problem for us, frankly.
Forsyth said hes happy to have his statue back. It went missing sometime between 130 and 2 a.m. Saturday. Forsyth said a disc jockey saw the statue when he left at 130 a.m., but it was gone when bartenders clocked out a half-hour later.
Forsyth said he would strengthen the way Chef Charlie is secured to its base to try to prevent a repeat of the theft.
Jazz for juniors
Music will not die at Empire Elementary
June 7, 2005
By Maggie ONeill
The [Carson City] Nevada Appeal
Cassidy Robinson was quite taken with Vince Guaraldis Charlie Brown. She sat in the back row of the auditorium Monday afternoon, her head and body bopping to the upbeat song played by visiting Sacramento keyboardist Jim Martinez.
I thought it was really good, said the 8-year-old of Martinezs rendition, explaining shes a fan of the block-headed kid. I watch a lot of Charlie Brown. I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special.
Martinez, who began playing piano at age 4, visited Empire Elementary School Monday, performing for kindergarten through fifth-graders. Saxophonist Joe Berry had played earlier.
When I grew up, and I grew up a long time ago, I loved Snoopy, and I loved Charlie Brown, Martinez said. I loved the music from all of it. Tell me if youve ever heard this music.
And he began playing a song from A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Theres music throughout all of it, and its all jazz, he said, But Im not here to just talk about jazz, Im here to talk about all kinds of music.
At 39, Martinez was visiting Empire through the help of the Knickerbocker Foundation, a foundation out of Coeur dAlene, Idaho, which donates money to various causes, including music education and animal rights.
When band teacher Christina ONeill wanted to find a way to bring jazz music alive, the Knickerbocker Foundation helped her find the two musicians.
Jazz is the truly only American music, ONeill said. Everything else came from Europe. By giving the kids the chance to hear jazz, were giving them the opportunity to hear music that is unique to America.
Her first connection with the Knickerbocker Foundation came this year, when the foundation provided $3,500 in instrument rentals to her 21 fifth-grade band students.
This is just seed money, really, said Benjamin Prohaska, executive director for the foundation. We would really like to encourage the community itself to become involved.
Forty-four students are expected to join band next year, when the Knickerbocker Foundation will kick in $5,000 for instrument rentals.
When ONeill came to Empire in the 2003-04 school year, just seven students were in band. This year alone, her band students have tested at or above par on the Scholastic Reading Inventory test and achievement-level test in math, she said. She has also seen a decrease in behavioral problems.
Kids who were in trouble on the playground arent in trouble anymore, she said. ... Its a big thing if we can get kids to focus on things that are positive and nonviolent, as opposed to getting involved in gangs or doing drugs.
A SpongeBob SquarePants song was one of several uplifting bits Martinez played for students. Other pieces included Scott Joplins Maple Leaf Rag, Beethovens Fifth Symphony and Mozarts Sonata in C Major -- the last performed by Martinez lying upside down on the piano bench with his arms crossed over his head.
I was thinking he was very stretchy, said Jonny Escobar, 8, about Martinez after the upside-down performance.
Jonny wanted to hear the Star Wars theme. But when Martinez finished with the jazz piece Now Is the Time, Jonnys little fingers tapped along for part of it.
I liked it, he said. I thought it sounded a little bit like Star Wars.
Charlie Brown statue returned to eatery
June 6, 2005
By Suzanne Herel
The San Francisco Chronicle
Its something Lucy might have done -- stolen an already hot statue of Charlie Brown to return it to its owner, and collect a $2,500 reward.
And being Charlie Brown -- who never got the better of a situation -- the statue got a little scraped up in the process. Still, said owner Bob Forsyth Were just happy to have him back. The case of the stolen statue began between 130 and 2 a.m. Saturday, when someone cut the bolts holding the 300-pound polyurethane Peanuts star to its concrete base outside Micheles Restaurant in Santa Rosa.
Forsyth publicized the theft and the $2,500 reward -- no questions asked. Apparently, it worked. A security guard at the restaurant got a phone call late Sunday from a man who said his friends had stolen the statue and he wanted to return it.
His quote was, he stole it from them to bring it back, Forsyth said. By 3 a.m., Brown was recumbent and recuperating in the restaurants banquet area.
Theres a little damage to his foot, a little nick and cut here and there. ... His left foot in dinged-up in the toe area, Forsyth diagnosed. It looks like theres a little stress in the area where his neck connects to the body, where they probably yanked him up.
Ive got to speak with the artist. Were thinking about putting a cast on his leg. The 6-foot icon is one of 55 Charlie Browns put up around town for the past two weeks in honor of the Peanuts comic strips 55th anniversary. Creator Charles Schulz lived in the area for 42 years before he died of cancer Feb. 12, 2000.
Forsyth, nephew of Schulzs widow, Jeannie, paid $7,000 for the figure, which is silver and white. He then spent an additional $2,000 to add a chefs hat, spatula and spoon.
He doesnt know when Charlie Brown will return to his former post, but says that in the meantime, hell be thinking of a way to deter thieves from snatching him again.
Money from the proceeds of the statues is expected to be put toward an art scholarship fund and the commission of a sculpture of Charlie Brown at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport.
Charlie Brown Statue Stolen In Santa Rosa
June 5, 2005
KGO-TV, San Francisco
The owner of a large Charlie Brown sculpture that was stolen from outside his restaurant in Santa Rosa Saturday said, Its just wrong. Its Charlie Brown, show some respect.
According to Bob Forsyth, owner of the statue and Micheles Restaurant, the person or persons responsible for stealing the sculpture did not show the comic star respect when they took off with the 6-foot, 200- to-300 pound statue early Saturday morning.
The statue was on display on the corner of Adams and 7th streets, just outside of Forsyths restaurant, located at 521 Adams St.
According to Forsyth, the robbery happened sometime between 130 a.m. and 205 a.m. while people were still inside the building.
A disc jockey and security personnel remember seeing the statue when they left the restaurant at 115 a.m. and 130 a.m., respectively, Forsyth said, but when the restaurants bartenders left at 205 a.m., the statue was gone.
Forsyth believes the robbers unscrewed two long bolts that attached the statue to a large cement base before hauling it off.
I cant imagine they did it without a truck. Hes a big guy, Forsyth said.
Hes also a very cool guy, according to Forsyth.
Forsyth worked with local artists to personalize the statue. He chose a chef theme and invested thousands of dollars into its creation. The artists adorned the chef-styled Charlie Brown with a chefs hat, spoon, and spatula. They even hand placed little pieces of silver on the sculpture, Forsyth said.
The statue is one of 55 sculptures on exhibit throughout the city to honor the 55th Anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip. The strips creator, Charles Schulz, lived and worked in the community for nearly 45 years.
Forsyth bought the sculpture for $7,000 and invested nearly $2,200 in decoration add-ons, he said.
The city of Santa Rosa plans to hold a live auction on September 25 for the statues that are not purchased by their sponsors.
Forsyth planned to keep his sculpture and is offering a $2,500 reward for its safe return, no questions asked. Forsyth says hell even pick the statue up if someone tells him where it is.
