GRASS VALLEY : Howard and Peggy Levine teach Sparky how to print and throw in an easel

While Wiley Dog and Sparky are a Nevada City duo they do spend a fair amount of time in the town over the hill, that being Grass Valley. A quaint Gold Rush town in it's own right, Grass Valley has grown much larger than Nevada City. It also has become the mercantile center of Western Nevada County and seems to pick an direction that the city will head in and stay the course. Nevada City on the other hand likes to scrap between its self all along the way. And it does not seem to make any difference who occupies the art deco city hall on Broad Street there is going to be some ruffled feathers over the future and the path to take. Maybe it is just because it so much smaller. But it is Nevada City's cultural and it is not considered a bad thing by any means. After all it has protected our town from all comers for so many years. Matter of fact you should just consider it part of the charm of our cute little town. Downtown Grass Valley exudes charm and the neon lite Del Oro Theater is the most pleasant sight. After all you will not see neon in Nevada City ! Part of Grass Valley's success can be attributed to Howard and Peggy Levine. Moving to Grass Valley in the early 1970's they have continued to work towards the success of their town. And they have been players in Sparky's success as well. Both being artist they have set a good example to how you create and do community service. They taught him how to make prints in many different ways and they gave him an homemade easel that some fellow artist had left at their home. As far as Sparky is concerned that easel has been 35 years of magic and who could ask for more than that ! Grass Valley Transfer was at one time located were the new Holiday Express Inn is now. Always a favorite sight this truck was always parked outside in front of their storage place. They had many new trucks and I am sure this one was retired from active duty although it ran just fine,
The Grass Valley Fire Department had retired this fire truck from active duty. But it saw action in many parades and special events.
Hansen Brothers was a continuous action of concrete trucks.
Hansen Brothers Bulk Plant provided construction materials to a growing Western Nevada County
Just realizing the they have driven up Bank Street the wrong way. Wiley Dog and Sparky make a hard right turn onto Mill Street and zoom back to Nevada City. Yipes ! That was close.

NEVADA CITY : Independent Newspaper provides a zany time and life long friends

Modern day Bonanza Market on Nevada City's Broad Street has a slight Gold Rush look to it. That look cleverly masks the fact that this was at one time a Purity Stores Market a Northern California market chain. Purity stores had adopted the Quonset building style for all their markets. Developed by the United States Marine Corp in World War II, it was a half circle type building. The Marines loved it for the large space it created, strength, low construction cost and easy to build qualities. You can still find some of the original WW II buildings at Southern California's Marine Camp Pendleton. If found at all today, that construction style will be found on America's farms. In the early 1980's Sparky became a " reporter " for the Nevada City Independent Newspaper. His only experience in this field was that he had seen and actually read a newspaper. And being a state college graduate his writing skills were non existent ! The Independent did not pay very well to say the least. So I am sure they got more than " their moneys worth " in this case. The Independent was founded by well known historian Bob Wyckoff and reflected his historic interest. Having been asked by well known Nevada City newspaperman Dave Carter to write a recreation column, Sparky responded with his " Full Court Press " that featured local recreational happenings. Among Carter's many newspaper skills was he was the local writer for the Sacramento Bee at the time. The paper was going through major changes at the time. A new publisher had replaced Wycoff in the fit form of David Fluke. David was fit for sure lifting weights and running every day. This was long before every American would claim to be a runner. His college days at the University of Oregon found him being an outstanding linebacker for a very good football team. Led by Heisman Award winning quarterback Terry Baker the team played in the Sun Bowl. That was the seventies and bowl games were very rare compared to today's bowl games that can feature a team with a losing record. The look and the content were also changing.

The look changed from a magazine size historical paper to a Sacramento News and Review size featuring local news. The Independent remained a weekly newspaper as it had previously been. Along with these changes came a new staff and that is were the fun really started. A new editor in the shape of one of Nevada City's most well known characters....Dan O'Neill. O'Neill had grown up in Norman Oklahoma and Nevada City and as a young adult created " Odd Bodkins " a clever cartoon strip that had a political bent to it. At it's zenith it was syndicated nationally and Sparky found out that it was one of his father's favorite strips. In the 60's his drawing of Walt Disney's characters doing none PC things to each other brought a major lawsuit. Claiming it was an art parody and freedom of speech it went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. O'Neill always claimed it was an unanimous vote, he was right, 9 to 0 against him and his fellow Mad Mouse artists. Heck, God doesn't mess with Disney in America ! His notoriety ended his strip and at this time he was starting a new one in the San Francisco Chronicle under the banner of O'Neill.

The others included R. L. Crabb who was at the time just starting his cartoon career. In the Nevada County of 2008 he is the most known local cartoonist around with his " It Takes A Village Idiot " appearing daily in the Grass Valley Union. Sparky calls Crabbman " Nevada County's IT man!". Crabbman stuck to his dream and with a lot of hard work he got it. It could not have happened to a nicer person. Bob Lickter was the staff photographer. one who was fearless and enjoyed getting the "right" photo. He must have gotten it from his father Mort who was a well known Hollywood photographer of the stars in his MGM Studio role. Bob's photos weave an history of Nevada County since the seventies a cherished collection for sure.

And then there was Pam Wood. Her official title was Art Director but she was the glue that kept all the insanity together enough each week so that the Independent would magically appear each week. She really was our Captain Kirk on the Starship Independent. Today, Pam Sibley, is a most well known graphic artist in Healdsburg California. Located in California's Wine Country she has created many famous wine labels among her vast portfolio. They all gave Sparky a major boost to his life and have become life long friends.

Of course there are hundreds of stories with this group, but to protect the guilty here are just three. The first one involves O'Neill, Lickter and Sparky. When O'Neill arrived at the Independent her wore a hat and suit ! He did not look or act like the rest of us, or that was how it seemed to Lickter and Sparky at the time. Did they really want to work for this man or not. O'Neill set out to convince the two that the ship was fine and too get on board. O'Neill is the kind of man after you know him for awhile he HAS done many things with many and some very famous people. But not knowing that you might think it is all bull. Trust me looking back he is not ! So in this attempt the three end up on Editor's Rock which is located on Deer Creek below the then Independent office. Sporting a fishing pole O'Neill told the doubting two that he was going to catch a fish. Even going so far as to direct Lickter to a spot were he could get the best shot of the soon to be caught trout. The skeptics grudgingly agreed. Tossing his line into the spot on Deer Creek where he had pointed the line snaps tight within 30 seconds of entering the stream. Out pops the trout, Lickter is so surprised by the now coming true predictions, falls into the creek. He managed to snap the shutter on his way down and later a developed picture showed a tail fin as it returned back to Deer Creek waters. O'Neill after setting the fish free showed a large smile. He needed to say nothing, the doubters had turned to believers and now got on board of Starship Independent.

Story two: You would not think a weekly could scoop the rich and powerful daily on a big story but it happened once at the Independent. The Coors Brewing Company had sponsored the Nevada City Classic for several years. This was one of their major corporate sponsorship and at times it had a very rocky local relationship. The rumor had been floating around that they were about to pull that sponsorship. But that is all it was a rumor. Sparky called and called the brewery in Colorado but no answers would come. Believing that it was true the staff had prepared a slot for that lead story and Crabbman and done a full color cover showing a Coors can running out of town. The issue deadline was rapidly approaching with no story. Facing this bleak reality Sparky called once again. And once again the same story....no comment. Out of desperation Sparky told the Coors PR person on the end of the line that he was sure they were pulling the plug and they would be going to press with that. It was no longer than 10 minutes later when the phone rang and was Coors calling from the Golden Colorado brewery. Stating that it was true and that they were pulling their sponsorship they would like to make a statement. Sparky had his story and the following days Independent scooped the Grass Valley Union. That was a great feeling and it got better, the next day The Union's Sports Editor Jeff Ackerman called and congratulated the Independent staff for a job well done. Despite not getting the story first ,Jeff has done well he is now that publication's publisher.

And the final one. Seeing a small two sentence item in the Yuba City newspaper that the Yuba County Water Agency wanted to build a dam on the North Yuba's Wambo Bar, Sparky was alarmed. Wambo Bar is west of the Highway 49 crossing and just up stream from Bullards Bar Reservoir. The dam would have backed water all the way to be just west of Downieville and in the process flood Good Year's Bar. As those who have seen this stretch of the river is spectacular. What was really going to happen ? Sparky could not wait and see. Hitchhiking to the Top of Yuba Pass he spent a week walking to Indian Valley all the time interviewing locals and tourists both. No one wanted the North Fork to change or at least no one he had talked too. Back at the Independent he wrote about his adventure and the threat that Wambo Bar Dam posed. Sure the circulation of this small weekly was just that...small. But one person did take note of this story, Dave Carter. Remember he was a writer for the Sacramento Bee and he picked up the story. Soon the whole world knew about it. That was the early 80's and there still is no dam on that marvelous portion of the North Fork of the Yuba River. No doubt many reasons why there isn't one. The Independent story certainly is one of them. In 2008 we are a world of news that is mostly controlled by large corporations, so hats off to all those small local news outlets that keep their communities informed. Hail to the memory of the Independent Newspaper !

NORTH BLOOMFIELD : Wiley Dog and Sparky work and play in the Diggins

Wiley Dog and Sparky have had many adventures in North Bloomfield ,California, located 16 miles northeast of Nevada City. Sparky actually worked there at the U.S. Forest Service guard station. At one time it was the Forest's Service North Bloomfield District Ranger Office. Located along side of the east side of Humbug Creek just off the Relief Hill Road. In the mid 1970's the guard station was reopened for the first time since 1961. This allowed Sparky to get to know the town and the California State Malakoff Park very well. It has been called a California ghost town by many. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

First named " Humbug " in 1851 by unlucky miners, North Bloomfield was a placer camp that served as a supply base for the Malakoff diggings. Now considered the largest hydraulic diggings in the world. It boomed into a town of 1,229 during the height of hydraulic mining at the diggings. Shown below. Hydraulic mining was effective and profitable, but severely damaged the environment. tailings from the mines destroyed farmlands, raised the bed of Yuba River higher than the level of the city, and disrupted navigation of the Sacramento River and the San Francisco Bay. In 1884 a law was passed and Judge Lorenzo Sawyer halted the practice of hydraulic mining with a permanent injunction against dumping tailings into state's waterways.

A number of engineering marvels were created to support the hydraulic mining. The world's first long-distance telephone line passed through North Bloomfield as it made it's way from French Corral to Bowman Lake. This telephone line was put in place to support a massive series of ditches and flumes that brought water to the mines from the Sierra 300 miles away. In North Bloomfield, a drainage tunnel was built to drain the run off from the mining operations to Humbug Creek. This tunnel was 7,874 feet long and 200 feet below the surface and was punctuated by eight pipes along the way. The " Hydro monster " shown above was always seen at special events in North Bloomfield. Made out of an old water canon it sported shirt and pants. Attached to a Jeep it could shoot water out of it's top and proved to be a real crowd pleas er.
The " Clampers " had a major role in North Bloomfield. They constructed a few buildings in town and had a major presence in the annual Home Coming Days. E Clampus Vitus was formed as a " fun " organization, probably in Mokelumne Hill, California, in 1849. It lapsed and was revived as a fun-cum-historical society. More than 65,000 members in 62 lodges, but there is no settled head office.
Carl Irving Wheat in 1930 revived what is the current modern organization. Wheat was deeply interested in California history, and under his guidance the revived organization devoted itself to that subject. The fire truck above is called " Lil Clyde " and is one of the Bull Meek Chapter 10 vehicle's.
Clamper commemorative plaques of bronze or stone are to be found on many " historical " California buildings. There is even a plaque in the National Hotel's parking lot in downtown Nevada City. It is dedicated to the ladies of the evening and their unique contributions to the Gold Rush.

NEVADA CITY; Old Nevada City High School points Sparky in new directions THE Late 70's and 80's

When you say the old Nevada City High School most people give you a quizzical look. Most will think that you mean the Nevada Union Joint High School located on Ridge Road. But no, after all the Ridge Road site has been there since the mid-sixty's. Before that both Nevada City and Grass Valley had their own high schools. It must have added to the rival between the two Gold Rush towns. With everybody going to the same high school since the that point in the 60's it would seem that jesting between the two would have subsided....and it mostly has. Grass Valley still has part of their high school, a gym surrounded by parking lots and an athletic field. It is part of the modern day high school district and is called Empire High School. The one large building has classrooms and a gym. The gym is not only used by the high school it gets great use by the community at large. Gyms are very rare in Western Nevada County. Nevada City High School is long gone and it was on the site that Gold Run School now occupies on Zion Street. The photo above is the shoulder patch on a complete Nevada City High School Band uniform that Sparky found in a Grass Valley thrift store in 1977. There is no proof that this "Yellow Jackets" jacket and complete uniform is the only one left in the entire universe as he proclaims. But it could be ! Hired by Youth Self Help co-directer Mike Snegg as the organization recreational directer Sparky, had the time had no idea his life was changed for ever. Youth Self Help had taken over the old high school and was providing many services for not only local youth but adults as well. Funded by both public and private grants it was the second largest organization of its type in California. At the time in the very late 70's it sported a budget of $ 250,000.00, real money in those days. And the large cavernous gym even after years of neglect was a gym rat's dream.
The above photo shows the north side of the original brick two story Nevada City High School. By the time Youth Self Help had taken over the site this portion could not be occupied. The whole site was owned by Nevada County which had been purchased for a new government center. By then Nevada County was growing at a fast clip and county leaders knew that the old high school site would be to small for their future needs. At the time most Nevada County operations were located in the art deco courthouse and it's 1960's annex which held the county jail. Nevada County would years later build the current Eric Rood Center, Wayne Brown Jail and Madelyn Helling Library along Highway 49 where it is located today. A site that is vastly larger than the old high school site.
This photo shows the gym on the right which was connected by two wings that attached to the old original building. That design provided for an interior uncovered court yard. Sparky along with his art degree had earned a recreational management degree as well. And if that was not enough he spent most, if not all of his college years " recreating". So he felt more than qualified to do what was required. And it was HIS gym now ! So he founded the Nevada County Volleyball Association. With great help from Susan Barry the league grew beyond all expectations. Some thirty plus years the association is going strong here in Western Nevada County. Starting first with a co-ed league and then on to separate women and men leagues, the gym once again was rocking. Things at first where not all "first class " as the volleyball standards (poles) were metal poles stuck in tires filled with cement. Which would never allow the net to be ever the same height night after night. The gym was not heated, the roof leaked and the lights had a mind of their own. This would lead to players wearing jackets, slipping at times and at times playing in the semi darkness. Despite these events it proved to be the most fun and soon more wanted to play than there was room for. Sparky's playing skills gave him the nickname " The Claw" for his ball handling prowess. And also "Credit Card" for his jumping skills. It seems that no one was sure if upon his " leaping" if you could put a credit card between his shoe's and the floor. Stating that he started the league and his own team's so that no one could throw him out of the gym, Sparky played for 16 years. But recruit he could ! Many Men's B championships came mostly under the Team McGee's banner. And the Co-ed teams were the most watched team, not so much for their playing skills but for the great looking co-eds.
The old Chevy truck above was Youth Self Helps official and only vehicle. It said a lot about the organization that wanted to put the money to were it was most needed...it's clients. That truck was driven by Ken Crow who was a hell of a man, one who always helped keep the old gym working. He also had the best blues show ever on radio. That being on Nevada City's KVMR Community Radio. The football field on the grounds soon sprang to life as Sparky founded the Twin Cities Flag Football League. A seven-man league it proved to be one of the best of it's kind in Northern California. Young's Flooring and The Bank Club stood out regionally, but it proved to be the most quality league top to bottom. The Gold Cup Tournament a 16-team event brought league champions from all over Northern California. Friends were made all over; two notables are Bob Biggs Head Coach of UC Davis and Mike Bellotti head coach of the University of Oregon. Both played against the local teams. Finally Sparky founded the first women's recreational basketball league in Nevada County. During his tenure as coach of the Sports Anyone? team they won the league's championship. It did not hurt that the team had a former Michigan State player who could by herself score 35 points of the team's 45. Just think of today's Los Angeles Lakers....somethings never change !

NEVADA CITY : Hollywood comes to town

Hollywood soon discovered our "cute little town". Once they started coming in the mid 1970's they never stopped. Whether it was for a commercial or a movie right up to now they came. It was always good for Nevada City as a few locals got a little work. The crews spent money just about everywhere. You could mostly watch. And the Chamber of Commerce loved the exposure. A few years ago the small town of Washington even got into the act with a Kermit The Frog staring in a "green" Ford Explorer Hybrid commercial. It first aired during the Super Bowl. You caught a glimpse of "downtown" Washington and the South Fork of the Yuba River. Wiley Dog and Sparky would hang around and watch it all unfold. The above scene was for a McDonald's commercial. There was a woman on the "set" that her only job was to prepare the Big Mac that would be seen in the commercial. They only look THAT good in the commercials !

This Nevada City fire truck must have pulled out of the old Victorian fire house on Broad Street thirty times before the director called it a wrap. The commercial was a fast and exciting minute on the screen. Watching it be made on the other hand was after a short while down right boring .
Kelly Tires in the late 70's and early 80's had the " Kelly Tire Men ". All dressed in Kelly green they could be seen on many of the tire manufacturer's ads. They all marched around and picked up, carried or rolled a Kelly Tire. They had a group of Hollywood actors as front men. This is one of the rare times that a large group of Nevada City locals got work. Marching around in their green Kelly Tire suits. This Hollywood actor must have had lifted that tire a dozen times before they had a good shot. He HAD to be tired after this day's shooting !
They would all pose for you and they were the nicest folks....these Hollywood commercial actors.
For the Hollywood guys, they stood around more than anything else. Then spring into a short bit of action and then stand around some more. The guy on the left is a young Carl Weatherby who later became Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies.
After watching many film crews in town Sparky did this self portrait. Adding a Paramount Pictures hat and a Donald Duck Disneyland T-shirt it was part of the desired effect. The title " Simply Hollywood " was in tongue in cheek style.

NEVADA CITY : The Father's Day Classic THE 70's and 80's

Nevada City's David McKay in 2008 is a well known photographer and artist. He currently is serving his second term on the city council and has been Nevada City's Mayor. This drawing shows David in 1976 when he was selling Nevada City Classic T-shirts. His idea of having great looking women in sexy attire most certainly helped that year's Classic T-shirt sales a lot !

The Nevada City Classic is considered one of the most technically and physically challenging 1-day cycling courses in America. The course which threads through downtown Nevada City and it's neighborhoods is a 1.1 mile, 7 turn counter-clockwise loop. Riders gain and loose 120 feet per each of the 41 laps. Taken place on every Father's Day since 1961, this year's event marks the 48TH Annual. It has had as many ups and downs as the course itself. Wiley Dog and Sparky were voluntary help for 18 years. Setting up, monitoring and taking down was their job.Charles Allert shown here with National Hotel owner Tom Coleman are just about to take a prerace spin with all the riders behind--- like a pace car. Allert's first race in 1961 attracted some 1,500 locals who came out to see Bob Tetzaff win in a time of 2:05. Of the many prizes given by local merchants that day the gold nuggets were the most cherished.
Before the Classic changed the course the riders would fly down Broad Street and take a hair raising left turn onto Pine Street. The crowd was thick here hoping that something would happen....and it THE TURN never let them down. Wiley Dog and Sparky remember when Nevada City rider Don Davis leading in the last lap crashed here. Rider Dave Walters passed him and Don , bleeding and tore up jumped back on his bike. In those days the finish line went up hill and finished at the library. In an incredible sprint Don caught Walters only to loose by the length of a bike. That was 1972. THE TURN cost Davis once again the victory in 1975 when he crashed there and lost to Bill Wild. This famous corner had wiped out any best chance that a local ever had. Local Ron Miller perhaps had the worst crash ever on THE TURN he even busted his foot straps as he hurtled into the hay bails. This spot as we say " Took no prisoners!".

By the 1980's The Classic was drawing up to 20,000 spectators which would line the new course every inch of the way. By then Wiley Dog and Sparky were the Head Monitor team. Same duties but their station was the start finish line which now was on Broad Street. The old course and the famous THE TURN were changed as the riders flew down Broad Street . It proved to be a huge crowd pleas er and more of downtown had become part of the race course. THE TURN was really never duplicated but the corner where Coyote Street and Commercial Street met would become a close second and a crowd pleas er. From 1979 to 1981 Greg "Reno Rocket " LeMond would dominate the Classic. Part of the joy that Wiley Dog and Sparky enjoyed of their new "title" was they would walk the course to bring water and what ever help they could with the Classic volunteers. One such trip they were walking up Court House Hill which is an extremely steep part of Main Street. Olympic hero Eric Heiden, who it seems had the largest calves, was attempting his 16 effort on the spot. The hill won. The Nevada City duo held Eric's bike while he recovered. He was a very gracious man. The most exciting time that the two had is when Toby Power, who was one of the most popular riders with the crowd won in 1982. After a fantastic finish Sparky was walking Toby back to the finish line. Holding his bike, the riders never liked almost anyone to HOLD their bike, and walking up Broad Street Sparky thrust ed his fist in the air and started yelling " TOBY TOBY TOBY " the crowd went crazy. Thousands were screaming " TOBY TOBY TOBY " what a magic moment in an very magical event.

NEVADA CITY : Down comes the power poles up go the gas lamps : The 70's and 80's

The Club Crazy Horse was a main hang out for many of Nevada City's residents, including Wiley Dog and Sparky. They could either be found playing pool or dancing around the pool table. They both loved to howl when Tom and Dink, the house band, would break into " Dead skunk in the middle of the road ". The large pole and the neon sign all would soon be gone as another step was made to become a " cute little town". A gem in the Mother Lode for sure.
The Paris Garage was where Ray Dreyer fixed what ever moved on wheels. It had been a place to get something fixed for generations. There wasn't a square corner in the building. The Nevada City of 2008 finds the ole garage filled with shops selling all sorts of things from every where.
This grand Victorian house on Park Avenue has an elevator and a great view of Pioneer Park. Nevada City neighborhoods are filled with Victorians and starting in the 1970's all would be fixed to their original grandeur. Before the turn of the Century almost every dwelling would be restored or remodeled. Nevada City always took great pride in itself and it is well earned.

Nevada City has many churches. Looking up from Spring Street you can see painters working on the steeple. The steeple is lighted during the Christmas Holidays and since it sets at the top of Broad Street it provides to Nevada City's charm. Which is abundent here.
The Torino was located on Sacramento Street and the bar had to be one of Nevada City's best known slime holes. Holes in the floor gave you a great view of Deer Creek below. And if you droped anything on the floor and wanted it you would have to have quick reactions or it to would be in Deer Creek. The building sagged so much that it was downhill to the bar. The up hill exit could prove to be some what difficult at times. The place made a grand exit from town in a giant ball of fire. The most dramatic until the Elks building fire this Century.
Located on Nevada Street the steeples cross can be seen in a large part of Nevada City.
Clark's Garage is located on Zion Street across from Miner's Hospital. Now a private resident the pump is gone. No doubts it could not show 2008 prices on it anyway !

Wiley Dog and Sparky are jetting across the flat desert floor in their Edsel in a journey that has took them half way around the World in an attempt to save their friend Mic. Following a new lead they both hope this will prove to be the one. So close in Africa and just minutes behind in Paris France in their efforts. While Sparky has pushed the big throat ed V8 to it's top speed Wiley Dog has been musing on the Nevada City duo's past adventures. His thoughts have turned to towns 1970's and 80's. As from anybodies point of view it comes from the path they have taken and theirs was a well worn path from "watering hole" to another " watering hole". In Nevada City's case that means you hardly ever go more than two blocks. And now things began to change in a fashion that would be highly noticeable. The street were ripped up, utilities put underground and gas lamps came to represent the new-old Nevada City. And all that time new and old faces started a movement that continues to this day. Just some of the notable players. David Osburn and Charles Wood had moved from San Francisco and set up shop on Commercial Street with their Osburn and Woods retail store. Eclectic inside for sure but their choice of bold multi - color outside store front was stunning. It started the color revolution in town. After all they had argued "this is how the Victorians would have done it!". If they had done nothing else they would have made this list, but they NEVER stopped being the creative thinkers that they both are. First they brought an attitude of fun, style, dreams and backed up with a can do style. A spark that ignited town to were it was going to go. They took over the old foundry and turned into the American Victorian Museum. The AVM became a gathering place for all walks of life. And then the two created radio station KVMR. What a gem that move has proved to be. In today's current corporate media world KVMR is a rare blessing not only to Nevada City but just possible the World. Greg Cook started a small then fondue house that grew to become Nevada City's best known restaurant. He proved that a fine dining house could flourish in this small town and was the cornerstone of many great restaurants to come. In 2008 Friar Tuck's is known World wide. Just to show you ;" from small acorns tall oaks grow!". Also on Commercial Street Mike Snegg and Michael Faulkenberry opened their Good Morning health food store which was a magnet to the new folks that kept coming to town. Next door Eric and Johanna Tomb opened their Grimblefinger book store and art gallery. Sparky had the good fortune of showing his work many times in the upstairs gallery. Next door came "Fast" Eddie Falick's Rainbow Kitchen. Eddie still the only person to never drive that Wiley Dog and Sparky knew. I guess being from New York City will do that to you. The Forest Service office moved out to the Superintendent's Office and alas Pete's Place finally closed. The Grass Valley Group was expanding every year to become a World leader in electronics's. At the " Group" worked Pat Dyer who was a assembler. Taking left over parts that were destined to be thrown away he and his wife Diane made ear rings and roach clips that they sold at craft fairs on the weekends. They had talent and before long they opened Utopian Stone on Main Street next to firehouse Number 2. A true American success story, now from their store on Broad Street they sell the fine jewelry World wide. They have always been a couple who have worked continuously to shape Nevada City into what it is today. And the watering holes started to reflect the changing time. Pete's Place transformed into Framastanyls. Created by Keith Davies, Pete Schram and Bucky Bratton it was the place to be...if you could get in. In a expansion move by the group they took over part of the old Forest Service office and Sparky found himself with a 2500 square foot upstairs studio. One which he enjoyed for years. On Broad Street Jim Costello " JC" and his two sons; Jimmy and Richie would turn an shoe store into McGee's Annex. A mighty fine drinking establishment. The Boston and Bay Area based Costello's had a long bar owning history. And it showed. The place became the new neighborhood place to go and be seen. And you could count on a good time! The Boys knew how to treat you well and they grew into a Nevada City benchmark that thrives to this day. Yes, things looked different all over this " cute little town".