A couple of deaths to report: Koko Taylor, the “Queen of the Blues,” and David Carradine, who starred in the “Kung Fu” television series in the 1970s.
Taylor, 80, died of complications following surgery. Known for her growling vocals and masterful bandleading, she first hit it big in the 1960s with songs like “Wang Dang Doodle” and “I’m a Woman.” Full story here.
Carradine, 72, apparently hanged himself in a hotel in Thailand, where he was at work on a film. After “Kung Fu,” Carradine mostly starred in low-budget movies for two decades before hitting it big again as the title character in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” movies. Full story here.
- Big game tonight as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic meet in the NBA Finals. Coverage starts at 6 p.m. on ABC. The Lakers are the favorites, but the Magic is big and tough inside. I foresee foul trouble for the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.
- If you’re interested in willows, you might want to sign up for a one-day seminar on California’s willow trees put on by the Chico State Herbarium. The June 13 class is in danger of being canceled if more people don’t sign up soon. The all-day class is $100. The Herbarium offers a wide variety of such classes. For more info on all of them, click here.
- Mark your calendars for a free event in Redding: A parking lot party put on by Orchard Nutrition Center on Saturday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Family fun with barbecue, clowns, miniature ponies and a reptile show. Orchard is at 221 Locust St.
- More construction news from the Highway 44 project in Redding: The Sundial Bridge/Auditorium Drive overpass will be closed during the night of June 11 and perhaps again the night of June 12 as crews place concrete for the new overpass. Similar work will be done June 25-26 and will likely result in more closings. The California Department of Transportation says residents are likely to notice more activity (and noise) around the project through the month of June.
Tips appreciated: Send news tidbits to steveb.anewscafe@gmail.com.
