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  • Nevada County’s Best Live Music Pub + Bar Spots for Summer

    If you’re craving live music, elbow-room chats, and a great local vibe, Nevada County’s pubs are delivering—big time. I tracked down the top upcoming gigs, jam sessions, and all-around good-time sounds happening in towns across Grass Valley and Nevada City.

  • Discipline Without Damage: Why Less Structure & More Connection Might Be the Parenting Shift We All Need

    If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “how many activities is too many?” while frantically packing snacks for soccer, piano, and the meltdown happening in the backseat—you’re not alone. And hey, you’re not a bad parent for wanting to give your kids all the things. But here’s the new reality check from pediatric pros, child psychologists,…

  • Cash for Compost? Nevada County’s Dirt-Cheap Deal for Local Growers

    If you’re growing anything in Nevada County—veggies, fruit, herbs, maybe even some accidental pumpkins from last fall’s compost pile—you’ll want to perk up for this one.

  • Summer at the Library: Where Boredom Goes to Die

    If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably said the words “go read a book” at least five times before lunch now that school’s out. But what if I told you there’s a place in town offering free crafts, storytimes, movie nights, Dungeons & Dragons, AND prizes for reading—without you having to play the entertainment committee…

  • Get Wildfire Ready: Nevada County Is Prepared, Are You?

    Let’s just call it what it is: wildfire season isn’t some far-off “maybe.” It’s real, it’s annual, and if you live in Nevada County, it’s personal. The trees we adore, the trails we hike, the land we call home—it all needs protecting. And lucky for us, our county isn’t sleeping on it.

  • Trail Mix & Tunnels: Family Friendly Hikes in Nevada County

    Let’s be honest—summer with kids is basically a game of “What can we do today that won’t end with someone crying or sunburned?” Lucky for us, Nevada County delivers the goods when it comes to family-friendly trails, river dips, and just enough adventure to burn off that popsicle energy. Whether your crew is all about…

  • Call Log Diaries #22: Rocks, Raids & a Pantsless Request

    Nevada County: where the gold is imaginary, the dogs might be people, and calling 911 to ask about burning frankincense is somehow not even the strangest thing that happened. From hallucinating treasure hunters to chicken-craving half-dressed brothers, this log is pure chaos wrapped in sage smoke and questionable life choices. So light your incense (legally),…

  • Small Business, Big Buzz: Marketing That Actually Works

    If you’re running a small business—whether you’re whipping up sourdough in your kitchen or fixing fences in between school drop-offs—you know the hustle is real. And with every penny spent needing to work overtime, marketing can feel like you’re throwing spaghetti at a wall and praying it sticks. But here’s the truth: good marketing doesn’t…

  • Call Log Diaries #21: Red Flags, Radiation and Revenge of the Uninvited

    You ever have one of those weeks where you feel like you accidentally walked into the plot of a low-budget sci-fi film mixed with a failed high school reunion rolled? Yeah, same. This edition of Call Log Diaries has us getting revenge for no party invite, dodging imaginary nurses in the drywall, and worrying about…

  • Gaslighting: The Subtle Yet Abusive Art of Making You Think You’re Crazy

    There’s a special kind of manipulation that makes you question everything you thought you knew—from what actually happened last Tuesday to whether your own feelings are even allowed. That, friends, is gaslighting. And if it’s ever made you feel like you’re losing your mind in slow motion? You’re not crazy. You’re probably being lied to……

  • Welcoming Tourism Without Losing Ourselves: Protect Our Small Town’s Charm

    I’ve spilled the tea on the negative effects of overtourism in small-town America in “Why Visiting Small Towns in NorCal is a No-Go for 2025”. But let’s be clear—this wasn’t a “locals only” sign hanging in digital form. Small towns can absolutely benefit from tourism — when it’s done right. In fact, many of us…

  • Mind Matters: How Schools Are Stepping Up for Student Mental Health

    If you’ve been anywhere near a school campus in the last few years—or had to wrangle a child into doing math homework while their emotions are doing cartwheels—you’ve probably felt it: the mental load on kids (and parents) is no joke. And finally, schools across the U.S. are doing more than just slapping a “Be…

  • Because Someone Noticed: Officer Karyn Mueller Is Driving Real Change (Literally)

    I love the kind of story that makes you feel proud to live in a small town like ours. A place where people roll up their sleeves and just get it done when something needs fixing instead of just hoping someone else will figure it. One of those people is Deputy Probation Officer, Karyn Mueller.

  • Call Log Diaries #20: Bears, Brews and the Bird with Bad Behavior

    Welcome back for another whirlwind of delightfully odd calls from Nevada County. If you’re wondering what it’s like to live in a small town, wonder no more. It’s a place where bears break into your fridge (twice), internet fraud becomes a metaphysical experience, and goldfish families get left behind. It’s all real, it’s all documented,…

  • Grease & Go: Nevada County’s Oil Filter Exchange Is Back!

    Okay, friends—this one’s for the DIY oil changers, the garage tinkerers, and basically anyone who knows their way around a funnel and a jug of 5W-30. Nevada County is bringing back its Oil Filter Exchange Event on Saturday, June 21st, and yes—it’s exactly as cool (and helpful) as it sounds.

  • Get Excited for Summer Events in Nevada County

    Grab your sunscreen, your reusable shopping bag, and maybe a lawn chair or two, because Nevada County is pulling out all the stops this June. From jazz under the pines to vintage car drooling downtown, there’s no shortage of small-town sparkle this month. Whether you’re craving community vibes, toe-tapping tunes, or just need a good…

  • Call Log Diaries #19: Cake, Chaos, and a Civic Full of Bad Choices

    Welcome back to the only corner of the internet where real 911 calls from Nevada County are transformed into small-town stand-up comedy. This week, we’ve got landlocked boats, solo scream sessions, and a very suspicious pile of Funfetti. You truly can’t make this stuff up—but we sure can make it entertaining.

  • Nevada County’s HAVEN Machines Are Quietly Saving Lives

    Sometimes, public health wins aren’t flashy. They don’t come with ribbon cuttings or massive media coverage. Sometimes, they look like a plain vending machine quietly humming away in the corner of a community center. And sometimes, that little machine is doing something huge—like literally saving lives. Welcome to Nevada County’s Health Access Vending (HAVEN) program.

  • Is Your Business Still Not on Social Media?: A Look at the Numbers in Nevada County

    I hate to be the bearer of brutally honest news, but if your business isn’t on social media in 2025… it’s basically operating with a flip phone in a smartphone world.

  • Nevada County’s New Mental Health Treatment Center

    If you’ve ever had to navigate the winding road of mental health support in Nevada County, you know just how frustrating—and heartbreaking—it can be to find real help close to home. Most folks end up being sent out of the county for care, leaving behind their families, their support systems, and sometimes even their hope.…