A white Thanksgiving in the Golden State
It's Turkey Day news from the Golden State.
I'm Julie Makinen, bringing you a special Thanksgiving edition of In California, a daily roundup of stories from newsrooms across the Paste BN Network (usually written by Arlene Martínez). Sign up here and tell a friend!
Thinking of the needy on Thanksgiving
Across the state, shelters, charities and civic groups served turkey lunches and dinners to those in need. One family in the Northern California town of Lakehead has been doing so for 37 years, dishing out a Thanksgiving feast to anyone who stops by their family-run restaurant, Pollard Flat Food and Fuel. This year, they were expecting up to 400 people. Proprietor Daniel Harsh said the item he hankers to have every year is the traditional Harsh Family hors d'oeuvre: a saltine cracker stacked with a round of salami, avocado, Miracle Whip, salt and pepper. Yum?!
While Thanksgiving brings out the best in many, it can also stir up painful feelings and remind people of loss: In Los Angeles, a powerful politician is searching for his homeless son — with cameras in tow
Others were celebrating families they thought were lost forever. How twin sisters found their long-lost biological father after more than 50 years. Hint: DNA helped.
Typical Turkey Day Calorie count: 3,000+
By now, you've probably had your fill of turkey. Or, maybe you were among those Americans who went meatless this Thanksgiving. Since Tofurky, the original tofu "turkey," was introduced 25 years ago, plant-based holiday meal choices have proliferated, and ground zero is the Bay Area. Think seitan-and-yuba roasts (yes, a Berkeley vegan deli sells 'em, and they capped orders a week before the holiday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle). Meatless or not, are you wondering how many calories you put away during your feast? The average American consumes over 3,000 calories and 150 grams of fat in a Thanksgiving meal. How can you burn it off? Run 4 hours, swim 5 hours, or walk 30 miles. Ugh!
A white Thanksgiving across the Golden State
If you made it on time to Thanksgiving, be grateful. Others had travel troubles, like one couple in their 70s who were stuck in their car for 18 hours as a snowstorm pounded Northern California. Luckily, they had granola bars and their Prius kept them warm at night, using about a quarter tank of gas. So much snow was falling around the state that a least one ski resort actually delayed opening because of too much powder, the L.A. Times reported. Snow fell in the area near Santa Barbara where the Cave Fire had raged earlier in the week, producing unusual sights. The I-5 Grapevine in Southern California was closed, and up to 4 feet was expected at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. Check out some photo galleries here and here.
Speaking of traffic, a new start-up wants to fly Southern California commuters over gridlock. It will only cost you $1,250 per month.
And if the thought of going back to work after the holiday is too much to bear, check out these Black Friday/Cyber Monday travel deals.
In California is a roundup of news compiled from across Paste BN Network newsrooms. Also contributing: San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune and Modesto Bee.