Chris Smith: Vandals target signs for Sonoma County supervisor candidateLynda Hopkins

RED-HANDED? Somebody cruised up and down Gravenstein Highway, stopping to spray-paint “1%” on many of the large campaign signs posted by west county supervisor candidate Lynda Hopkins.

Makes me wonder if an exit poll at the November election might determine what percentage of voters who opted for Hopkins did so largely because of that vandalism.

My guess is it would exceed 1.

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If you've never strolled or pedaled the Prince Memorial Greenway along Santa Rosa Creek and beneath Highway 101, or if it's been awhile, you might consider visiting it the afternoon of Oct. 17.

At 5 p.m. that Monday will be a rededication of the great painting of two dragons. For a time, the dragons' eyes and heads were smashed and gouged so badly that the reluctant decision was made to remove them and make it appear the heads were out view.

It distressed some local Chinese-Americans to see Asian dragons without their heads. So the city and the ArtStart program undertook an ambitious effort to recreate the dragons' heads in a way that would discourage further attacks.

The new heads are raised high and painted on steel. Refreshments and a dragon dance will charm the celebration there alongside the gloriously restored dragons.

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THIS WEEKEND, former Piner High and SRJC football player Tony Martignoli will be home from rural Massachusetts to celebrate a recent honor with his family and friends.

And to eat.

Tony went off to Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, expecting to play football as a quarterback. Instead he's tearing up the turf as a wide receiver, hauling in three touchdown passes in the Bisons' last game and being named the New England Football Conference's rookie of the week.

In other sports news from Nichols College, the baseball coach is working on the 19-year-old Tony to play for him, too.

Proud mom Crissi Martignoli shares that Tony is coming home for a few days and he's keen to venture again, in the fast-food realm, behind Dunkin' Donuts. While back in Santa Rosa he plans to tackle In-N-Out Burger, Wingstop and his favorite taco truck.

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HOMECOMING at Santa Rosa High really should be special.

The homecoming queen from 1966, Donna Dennes Peterson, will return for the football game against Windsor. And accompanying her will be longtime SRJC trustee Rick Call, who 50 years ago led the Santa Rosa football team as quarterback and captain.

Donna will bring her crown and Rick will wear his rare, white, three-sport varsity sweater.

But the game isn't this Friday, despite what I wrote the other day. It is Oct. 14.

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THE WARRIORS are a golden addition to the programming at Sonoma County's historic news/talk/sports radio station, KSRO.

It electrified KSRO's staff to be added to the Dubs' radio network. Preseason games are building toward the Warrior's first regular game Oct. 25 against San Antonio.

The 7:30 p.m. start will allow KSRO drive-home host Steve Jaxon time to unplug, get home and mix a tall chocolate milk before tipoff.

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