The theater lost a compelling voice when Tony Award-winning, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein died of cancer last year.

In two of the final concerts in their landmark tour, the first family of American folk music appears at the Napa Valley Opera House April 19 and 20.

Napa High School played host Saturday night to the Napa School of Music’s Garage Band 101 concert.

On Friday night at the Lincoln Theater, a remarkable performance played out as Kevin and Cindy Spencer, now entering their 20th professional year of performing magical illusions, took the audience on a journey that will be remembered for a lifetime.

“Cirque de la Symphonie,” an art show and online auction to benefit the Napa Valley Symphony, opened Friday at Jessel Gallery in Napa.

Sonoma Jazz +, now in its third year, will bring crooners Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr., rhythm ’n’ blues singers Smokey Robinson and Michael McDonald, crossover country artist Leann Rimes and blues guitarist Robert Cray to the popular Sonoma music festival on Memorial Day weekend.

Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the Queen of Folkabilly,” Nanci Griffith’s folk and country roots have taken her from Austin’s Hole-In-The-Wall bar to Carnegie Hall, Grand Ole Opry and London’s Royal Albert Hall; from an 8-year-old girl in Texas learning to play guitar from a television instructor to a woman of the world, visiting and performing in Vietnam, Cambodia and Kosovo in support of the abolition of landmines.

Buoyed by the artistic success and widespread interest in the inaugural event, producers of the international Festival del Sole have revealed plans and attractions for a second music gala in wine country this summer.

Talk about turning back to our lost past, that miracle was accomplished on Saturday night at the Napa Valley Opera House. Who among us could ever forget the incredible sounds and imagery of Cab Calloway and his hot jazz orchestra of the 1930s and ’40s?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Charlie Crist is being asked to pardon the late Jim Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, 38 years after he was convicted of exposing himself during a Miami concert.

Now, we would certainly never condone the use of illegal substances. We are a family friendly news service, after all.

NEW YORK — The (film) geek shall inherit the earth.

On Sunday, youth and clergy from St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and Napa Valley Lutheran Church offer reflections on their recent experience of World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine. The reflections are incorporated into the day’s regular worship services at 8 and 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s, 1917 Third St., Napa; and 9 and 11 a.m. at Napa Valley Lutheran, 1796 Elm St., Napa.

Aveus is all about rebellion. The metal band made up of Napa teens is finishing up a concept album called "Heaven's Last Hour," a compilation of songs addressing corruption in America's organized religions, according to Steve Meloney, Aveus' lead vocalist.

Napa son wins for community outreach

Education

Editor’s note: Mukta Tripathi, a Napa resident, is writing a series of articles on cooking vegetarian Indian food for the Register, based on her memories of growing up in India.

I once spent a winter living on Plum Island Sound in Ipswich, Mass., and there made the acquaintance of the regional specialty, the clam. It’s the local fast food; cut into strips and deep fried, it’s quite tasty. My children were always persuaded they were eating caterpillars, but this only added to the appeal for the pre-school set.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Sgt. 1st Class Cheryl Dupris, a member of the U.S. Army’s Individual Ready Reserve, has completed three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cuvaison hosts a vertical tasting of cabernet sauvignon from the historic Brandlin Vineyard on Mt. Veeder on Saturday.

To celebrate Judd’s Hill Winery’s new facility in Napa, Art, Bunnie, Judd and Holly Finkelstein will host an island party — the Judd’s Hill Musical Bonanza — Saturday.

Many wineries in Napa Valley are owned by families, but few have family members more involved than Judd’s Hill Winery.

ZARE’S ANNIVERSARY — Zare’s Restaurant celebrates its second anniversary with live music and bellydancing, 6 to 10 p.m. today  followed by DJ music until 2 a.m.  5091 Solano Ave., Napa. Info, 257-3318.

Have you been saving a picture from a magazine of a glorious garden as an example of how you would like your garden to look?

I’ve organized nine offices in the Napa Valley in the past six weeks.

If you’ve ever wanted to have your own peach tree, Copia’s annual plant sale is one way to get started. This year Colby Eierman, Copia’s director of gardens, said all kinds of fruit trees, tomatoes, basil and peppers will be available at the sale, April 14 and 15.

The Long Meadow Ranch Rutherford Gardens roadside stand opens for the season April 14 at 10 a.m. Shoppers can visit the LMR stall at the St. Helena farmers market, 7:30 a.m. to noon, starting May 4. The full Long Meadow Ranch offering of grass-fed beef, extra virgin olive oil, heirloom fruits and vegetables and organic eggs will be available at both locations. LMR wines are available only at St. Helena farmers market.

With the onset of the 2007 wildfire season, Napa Firewise celebrates its third year as a community-based fire prevention program. The program is designed around the life-safety needs of county residents living in high fire risk communities like Angwin, Deer Park, Dry Creek/Mt. Veeder, Pope Valley, Berryessa Highlands and Circle Oaks.

St. Helena Hospital

MUSTALLER -- Monica Mustaller vs. John Mustaller, March 14, 2007

Napa High School graduates Owen and Mary (Hempler) Huddleston celebrated 50 years of marriage with a family dinner at Bayleaf Restaurant on Feb. 3. Owen and Mary were married at St. John's Catholic Church on Feb. 3, 1957.

Sarah LaBranche, daughter of Leonard and Jennifer LaBranche Jr. of Calistoga, recently became engaged to Daniel G. Timms, son of Ronald and Pamela Timms of Cloverdale.

Rita Calderon and Brian Dougherty of American Canyon announce their engagement to be married in May at the Napa Valley Marriott.

Amanda Rene Felton and Brian Alan Galloway of Manitou Springs, Colo., announce their engagement to be married on July 13 at Seven Minute Spring, Manitou Springs, Colo.

BARCENAS AVALOS-SENDEJAS RUBIO -- Hilario Barcenas Avalos, 24, Winding Way, Napa, to Esperanza Sendejas Rubio, 21, Winding Way, Napa.