The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area (NHA) is now part of the nationwide Passport to your National Parks program! There are 27 locations throughout the NHA where visitors can get their passports stamped.

The program - a way to commemorate your travels to the nation's most beautiful, historic, and culturally significant places - kicked off Saturday, February 28, at RioVision Gallery in Rio Vista. Congressman John Garamendi celebrated the occasion with a ceremonial first passport stamp.

“This exciting new initiative will inspire a new generation to explore the Delta’s breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and vibrant communities,” said Congressman Garamendi.

“Through the Passport Program," he noted, "visitors can capture stories, preserve memories, and discover America’s natural and cultural treasures in a hands-on way. I invite everyone to visit the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area and experience the Delta for themselves.”

Hard to believe, but it’s time to start thinking about kids’ summer plans! If you’re looking for options, Martinez’ John Muir National Historic Site has some fun adventures in July planned for children ages 7-12.

The site’s Mountain Day Camp aims to “instill an appreciation for nature," and is based at Muir’s historic property, where the naturalist, preservationist, writer and farmer lived and raised his family for 24 years.

Mountain Day campers will learn how to “help the earth be a healthier, more beautiful place to live.”

Daily activities include exploring nature trails, singing, painting, baking sourdough bread (with a 147-year-old starter!), journaling “as Muir did,” and discovering local plants and animals.

The weeklong sessions cost $400 per camper. See camp website for more information.

A recent Escalon Times article reported that people can “get a taste of the Great Gatsby era” when they visit Grand Island Mansion in Walnut Grove.

A road trip to this historic spot, the article notes, “will give you a full helping of the portion of the 1,000 miles of meandering waterways that can be found in San Joaquin County."

The Mansion, a 58-room Italian Renaissance villa, was built by European craftsmen in 1917. It is well-known in the region as a romantic wedding venue and for its sumptuous Champagne brunches.

Emily Molina, a recent transplant to Pittsburg, wrote a lyrical essay for The Contra Costa Pulse about four public murals that helped to make her feel at home in her new city.

She meandered through Pittsburg, stopping to admire and reflect upon murals such as “The Creation of Adam” on Crestview Drive, and the Heritage Park Plaza mural (which, she says, “beautifully depicts themes of familial bonds, historical pride, and community prosperity”). Studying and savoring the artwork become “my way of bonding with Pittsburg," she writes, "offering me a sense of belonging and helping me appreciate the town’s rich history.”

Did you know that Brentwood has a Poet Laureate?

Maria Denney was appointed to her cultural post in 2025.

What’s great about being a Poet Laureate? “I get to share the joy of poetry with the community,” she says, “through open mic and by publishing an annual anthology, In Mt. Diablo's Shadow, An Anthology of Prose and Poetry.”

Denney loves to “get to know people by listening to and reading their poetry,” she adds. “It is so personal and special to know the authors.”

If you’d like to meet Denney, she hosts her Open Mic Poetry every second Thursday of the month. It takes place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 2475 San Creek Road, in Brentwood.

Heads-up to local birdwatchers - on Saturday, March 14, a State Parks interpreter will lead a one-mile hike at Delta Meadows with a special guest: Aaron Haiman, author of Birds of the California Delta.

The group will ramble through oak woodlands and marshes while the interpreter educates hikers about how these endangered habitats provide critical support for birds and other animals.

Along the way, participants should be able to spy “some of the many majestic birds of the Delta” and chat with Aaron Haiman about his book.

This free hike, which will take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, starts at 9 a.m. and is open to birders of all ages and skill levels. It is suggested that participants wear sturdy shoes and “comfortable clothing for the weather,” and bring a bottle of water and binoculars.

Participants will meet at the Delta Meadows parking lot (free entrance!). Contact Logan.Currin@parks.ca.gov for questions or to request accommodations.

The Hercules Library recently shared a charming Facebook story about their beloved Magnolia soulangeana tree, “who came from a faraway nursery [and] was so special that she was air-lifted into the library…so as not to harm a single branch!”

Recently, the Hercules Library staff “looked at our tree and thought she looked a little sad.” Turns out the Magnolia was feeling poorly.

A community of friends – including the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County, a talented arborist and a team of folks who enthusiastically administered pine tree mulch – set about healing her.

The result? According to the library, “just days after all of this work was completed, she began to bloom!”

If you’d like to visit this special tree (and check out a few books), Hercules Library is located at 109 Civic Drive; (510) 245-2420.

Every Tuesday at 4 p.m., the Walnut Grove Library hosts Family Story Time. This special hour begins with the reading of stories, followed by songs, rhymes and movement activities all designed to support the early learning skills of young children.

Story Time is open to parents and caregivers whose kids are 0-5 years old (older siblings are also welcome to attend) and the event encourages “you and your child to meet others and play together.”

14177 Market St., Walnut Grove, (916) 264-2920.

Antioch Library (along with the Concord and Walnut Creek branches) has been selected to receive $10,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

This gift, totaling $30,000 for Contra Costa County, is part of a nationwide initiative commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The effort honors the legacy of Andrew Carnegie, who personally funded the construction of 1,681 free public libraries in the U.S. between 1886 and 1917. The Carnegie Corporation is extending the gifts to all remaining Carnegie Libraries across the United States.

Carnegie viewed these institutions as fundamental to civic life, famously calling them "cradles of democracy." Approximately 1,280 libraries continue to operate today, maintaining their essential connection to the Carnegie legacy.

The funding will be used to enhance and expand programs and collections tailored to the needs of the Antioch, Concord, and Walnut Creek communities.

On Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, 20 museums around the Sacramento region (including the Locke Boarding House Museum) will welcome the community at the annual all-access event Free Museum Weekend.

Ticket registration is required, and tickets are available March 2-5 (or until they are gone) on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit the Sacramento Area Museums website.

And if you miss out on a ticket? Surprisingly, a number of Sacramento Area Museums are always free, and others have free or reduced admission programs throughout the year.

The Haggin Museum in Stockton is offering four-day drawing courses in March for ages 12-16.

Designed to help young artists strengthen their drawing skills, participants will receive hands-on instruction in addition to guided explorations of the museum’s galleries and collections.

Through the course, students will learn to “interpret and express what they see in creative and meaningful ways,” refine their techniques, and gain confidence in their abilities.

The cost is $100 per student. For more information, contact the museum’s Education Department at (209) 940-6332 or email education@hagginmuseum.org.