Chris Smith: This year’s ChickenQue will honor first responders, one in particular

Massive grills crackling and sizzling and filling the air with the aroma of barbecued chicken, and acres of tabletops laden with home-baked cakes.

What more does one need to know about the Sonoma County tradition known as the 4-H ChickenQue and set to fire up for the 56th year May 6 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds? Perhaps this:

This year’s ChickenQue theme is s “4-H is Sonoma County Strong.” The barbecue and open house will celebrate survival and recovery, and will, as a surprise, call out one local firefighter for valor during the fires and for extraordinary service to the community.

This person and other first responders will be honored at the ChickenQue at about 2 p.m.

I know who the firefighter is but am sworn to secrecy. Feel free, however, to ask me anything at all about the cakes.

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FIRST RESPONDERS should know, too, about what looks to be a lovely, lively, family-friendly event on May 18.

The Taste Route 116 group of family-owned wineries and restaurants welcomes all first responders and their families. The free event will be held where?

At Hook & Ladder Winery on Olivet Road.

There will be free food and drink, and free-flowing gratitude.

First responders who’d like to go are asked to register online at cellarpass.com.

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JAMES GORE, the Sonoma County supervisor, is once again switching a political fundraiser into a fire-relief benefit.

He’d originally reserved the Luther Burbank Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday for a re-election campaign fundraiser.

“Since I am running unopposed,” he said, “I am making this a campaign for resilience.”

Rather than ask guests for campaign donations, Gore will request checks to Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County. Dollars will go to the Wildfire Mental Health Collaborative.

It was less than three years ago, the fall of 2015, that Gore toured areas of Lake County ravaged by the Valley fire and decided to turn a planned political fundraiser into a benefit for survivors of that inferno.

Today he finds flame-dealt suffering much closer to home.

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JEREMY HAY is a fine reporter and a former PD staffer who works at encouraging Americans far apart on difficult issues - like gun ownership - to talk to each other.

Jeremy and the co-founder of Spaceship Media, Eve Pearlman, just brought together in Washington, D.C., 21 people whose views of firearms run from staunch support of the NRA to advocating widespread bans on guns.

After two days of workshops and oftentimes heated exchanges, those 21 and 130 others now continue the pursuit of true dialogue in a closed, month-long Facebook conversation. We can watch for news of the outcomes.

Jeremy has hope the discourse will lead to solutions.

“You can’t have dialogue that leads anywhere,” he said, “unless you start the dialogue.”

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FROM LOOKS OF HER she might have gardened prior to enjoying lunch Monday with a younger woman at Della Fattoria in Petaluma.

She didn’t act like anyone special but she clearly was Frances McDormand, the two-time Oscar winner and part-time habitué of Bolinas.

Chris Smith is at 707-521-5211 and chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.