Mendocino County is what happens when the Pacific Ocean decides it wants to date a rainforest. Once a year, Mendocino Area Parks Association (MendoParks), invites folks to join them on the Mushroom Train, a journey into the redwoods to partake in artisanal cocktails and locally foraged culinary delights, all in the name of fun and fundraising.

The Mushroom Train is just one offering from the Fort Bragg-based Skunk Train depot. This post-logging railroad, once a conveyor belt for redwood extraction, now runs a very different kind of harvest: foodie-level bites, foraged fungi, fine wines and fundraising.

The annual Mushroom Train makes its run each November as one of MendoParks’ largest fundraising events. The nonprofit receives no tax dollars yet manages education, stewardship and community programming across Mendocino Coast state parks. Every ticket is a direct donation to redwoods, trail access and the future of this ecological corridor.

Travelers mingle on the open-air car, savoring the fresh forest air and lively atmosphere of the Mushroom Train. (Photo by Clara Shook)

All aboard

The morning of the event the depot hums with pre-departure anticipation. It’s a 21+ event. People flash their IDs, sip warm cider or coffee and pull their puffy jackets tighter against the morning chill. For a few more dollars, the presidential class car, new for 2025, is a plush little jewel box complete with emerald velvet tufted seats, vintage radio speakers at each table and, this year, Tamar Kaye and Crispin Cain of Mendocino Spirits pouring its Low Gap California Whiskey.

Someone asks, “Is bourbon an acquired taste?,” and Cain grins. “Bourbon is … a commitment,” he says. The car erupts in laughter, and everyone accepts it.

The ride into the reds

The train runs parallel to Pudding Creek, rattling along a wooden trestle, then the canopy closes in. We glide into second-growth redwoods, descendants of the giants felled for profit in the early 20th century.

This railroad used to export forests. Now, it transports the people who protect them.

The second pour: Kaye and Cain share tastes of their distillery’s limited-edition candy-cap mushroom liqueur, and the whole car warms with the smells of butterscotch and maple.

Glen Blair Bar: A forest party with a purpose

Guests prepare their own snacks at DIY s’more and hot dog
stations at the large campfire pits outside the Glen Blair Bar pavilion. (Photo by Clara Shook)

Twenty minutes later, we disembark at Glen Blair Junction and enter “Glen Blair Bar,” a large open-air pavilion filled on this day with mushroom-infused light bites, local craft wines and spirits, and vendors selling mushroom-themed art and accessories.

Live music from three local bands starts soon after arrival. The opening act is the Sid Hillman band, fronted by the executive director of MendoParks himself. Next, we are treated to the soulful sounds of 18-year-old guitar virtuoso Bella Rayne & friends, followed by instrumental world fusion band The Runabout.

In the clearing next to the pavilion are three large campfire rings adjacent to DIY s’more and hot dog stations, for the kid in you. This is an adult play date after all.

Guests cluster around the mushroom education and identification table as Eric Schramm points to a cluster of California golden chanterelles and a 1.5-pound porcini he found the previous day.

Next, we have the wine education table, led by Cory Lester of Bee Hunter Wines, who shares tastes of its red and white varieties from its Boonville tasting room.

Locally foraged mushrooms like Candy Cap and Morel invite guests to explore the diverse flavors of Mendocino County’s forest bounty. (Photo by Clara Shook)

Optional experiences

An hour into the festivities, the first round of the forest bathing tour fans out into the woods, guided by Certified Forest Bathing Guide Megan Carson, who talks about this Japanese practice known as shinrin-yoku as medicine. With slower breathing and reduced stress hormones, it helps the body remember its somatic connection to nature.

Leslie Krongold of Leslie’s Accessible Walks, known for her accessibility advocacy, maneuvers the well-maintained gravel path in her motorized chair expertly, proof that with intention, more people can access wild beauty.

Dance, fire, cold air, warm faces

A guest dressed in festive mushroom-themed attire joins fellow riders for the whimsical redwood experience. (Photo by Clara Shook)

As the afternoon deepens, DJ Beetroot back on the train drops vintage dance tracks. People dance around the wooden embarkment platform in fleece and beanies. The cold makes the warmth from the round campfire pits more delicious.

In this redwood clearing, there’s no pretense. This fundraiser feels like gratitude in motion.

How to do this trip right

From San Francisco, Mendocino is 3-4 hours north. Highway 1 is scenic but can be a bit twisty to maneuver in the dark. Highway 101 to Highway 20 is faster, less nausea-inducing. Savvy visitors arrive Friday night.

North Cliff Hotel in Noyo Harbor offers two-person jetted tubs with ocean views and fireplaces in every room.

Mendocino folks treat the Mushroom Train like a sacred annual ritual. Tickets sell out early.

Mendocino isn’t selling novelty here — it’s modeling a future: post-extraction, post-burnout, post-disposable culture. We’re not just sipping liqueur under the redwoods. We’re investing in the comeback of a coastline long used, logged and left for dead. Growing up near the timber plantations, wetland marshes and barrier islands of North Carolina, I’ve seen land survive a lot — except human indifference when conservation is needed. Up here, on this quirky little train powered by bourbon, mushrooms and communal joy, the opposite is happening. This is what Northern California looks like when people decide the forest deserves more than nostalgia.

This isn’t tourism.

It’s stewardship disguised as a party, and this is your invitation.

Guests enjoy the open-air car’s perfect view as the train snakes its way through the lush Mendocino redwoods.
(Photo by Clara Shook)

If you want to take the Mushroom Train, you’ll have to wait to buy advance tickets for next year’s MendoParks fundraiser. But adults can still ride the Skunk Train to Glen Blair Bar or on select weekends this year ($59.95). The family-friendly Pudding Creek Express ride ($54.95-$295) with games, snacks and redwood exploration is available year-round, and “Mr. Skunk’s Giant Christmas Tree and Workshop” holiday ride ($85.45-$113.95), featuring seasonal treats and decor, runs through Dec. 31. For tickets, visit skunktrain.com

A Christmas Eve Powerball drawing could add new meaning to holiday cheer as millions of players hope to cash in on the $1.7 billion prize, which comes after months without a jackpot winner.

The United States’ 4th-largest jackpot on record comes after 46 consecutive draws without someone claiming to have all six numbers. The last contest with a jackpot winner was on Sept. 6. The game’s long odds have people decking the halls and doling out $2 — and sometimes more — for tickets ahead of Wednesday night’s live drawing at 10:59 p.m. EST.

It’s a sign the game is operating as intended. Lottery officials made the odds tougher in 2015 as a mechanism for snowballing jackpots, all the while making it easier to win smaller prizes.

The Christmas holiday is not expected to impact the drawing process should there be a winning ticket, a Powerball spokesperson said.

Here is what to know about Wednesday’s drawing:

Christmas Eve cha-ching

That ticket placed in a stocking or under the tree could be worth a billion bucks — but with some caveats.

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Powerball is played in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most of those areas require players to be 18 or older, though some states have steeper requirements. In Nebraska, players have to be at least 19 years old, and in Louisiana and Arizona, people can’t buy tickets until they are 21.

Winning tickets also must be cashed in the states where they were bought. And players can’t buy tickets in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada or Utah.

Other than that, lottery officials argue there is a chance a lucky Powerball ticket could be a gift that keeps on giving.

Charlie McIntyre, the New Hampshire Lottery’s executive director, said Tuesday: “Just think of the stories you can tell for generations to come about the year you woke up a billionaire on Christmas.”

A range of prizes can be presents

Wednesday’s $1.7 billion jackpot has a cash value of $781.3 million.

A winner can choose to be paid the whole amount through an annuity, with an immediate payment and then annual payments over 29 years that increase by 5% each time. Most winners, however, usually choose the cash value for a lump sum.

The odds are high for the top prize, but there are smaller prizes players can reap.

At the last drawing, players in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin each won $1 million. There are also prizes outside the jackpot, ranging from a few dollars to $2 million.

One woman told Powerball officials that she already made plans for her $1 million win: “We’re going to pay off our cars and credit cards and get a bigger house!”

And Thomas Anderson of Burlington, North Carolina, said he intended to use his $100,000 Powerball win from earlier this month to go back to school, according to Powerball.

Long odds for the billion-dollar jackpots

Lottery officials set the odds at 1 in 292.2 million in hopes that jackpots will roll over with each of the three weekly drawings until the pool balloons so much that more people take notice and play.

The odds used to be notably better, at 1 in 175 million. But the game was made tougher in 2015 to create the out-of-this-world bounties. The tougher odds partly helped set the stage for back-to-back record-breaking sweepstakes this year.

The last time someone won the Powerball pot was on Sept. 6, when players in Missouri and Texas won $1.787 billion, which was the second-highest top prize in U.S. history.

The U.S. has seen more than a dozen lottery jackpot prizes exceed $1 billion since 2016. The biggest U.S. jackpot ever was $2.04 billion back in 2022.

More about those unfavorable odds

It’s hard to explain what odds of 1 in 292.2 million mean. Even if halved, they remain difficult to digest.

In the past, one math professor described the odds of flipping a coin and getting heads 28 straight times.

Tim Chartier, a Davidson College math professor in North Carolina, on Monday compared the odds of a winning lottery ticket to selecting one marked dollar bill from a stack 19 miles (31 kilometers) high.

“It’s true that if you buy 100 tickets, you are 100 times more likely to win. But in this case, ‘100 times more likely’ barely moves the probability needle,” Chartier said. “Using the time analogy, buying 100 tickets is like getting 100 guesses to name that one chosen second over nine years. Possible — but wildly improbable.”

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

It’s that time of the year when an abundance of Christmas romantic comedies have hit the various streaming platforms. But many of the movies this year have fallen flat, despite plots that sound fun and ridiculous (I’m looking at you, Netflix). Below are five of my favorite movies so far this holiday rom-com season that made me laugh, gave me cozy holiday feels, and yes, even made me tear up just a little bit.

“A Keller Christmas Vacation”

What’s better than one Christmas romance? How about three? This movie sees siblings Dylan (Jonathan Bennett), Cal (Brandon Routh) and Emory (Eden Sher) sorting out their love lives while reluctantly on a Christmas river cruise in Europe that their parents dragged them to. Dylan is struggling with a proposal gone wrong and his boyfriend William’s strange behavior in recent weeks, Cal is getting over his divorce and his longtime crush who got away, while Em is in search of someone who just makes her feel special. Hijinks ensue (of course, the boat leaves them behind at one point), but there’s also some heartwarming family bonding. You can tell that this family loves each other deeply, despite driving each other crazy. Available on Hallmark.

Autumn Reeser in “We Met in December.” (Hallmark Media)

“We Met in December”

Annie (Autumn Reeser) and Dave (Niall Matter) make the most out of a travel delay, spending a romantic evening together talking about their hopes and dreams, and sharing one perfect kiss. But after failing to exchange contact information and missing each other on the flight back to Chicago the next day, they try everything they can to find each other. From going to their favorite local spots to putting out a message on the radio, they’re determined to find their missed connection who just might be the one. Available on Hallmark.

Cadence Compton, Andrew W. Walker, Dax Belanger, Lacey Chabert and Steve Bacic in “She’s Making a List.” (Hallmark Media)

“She’s Making a List”

Isabel (Lacey Chabert) is an inspector for a company that puts together the Christmas naughty or nice list. She’s up for a promotion if she can just close out this holiday season. But things get complicated when she’s undercover evaluating 11-year-old Charlie’s case and runs into her subject’s dad, Jason (Andrew Walker). She ends up going on a date with Jason, and as they spend more time together, she sees how there’s more behind some of Charlie’s not-so-nice behavior — she’s struggling with the death of her mom. Isabel has to balance her growing attraction for Jason and her increasing care for Charlie with the strict rules of her job. Available on Hallmark.

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“A Grand Ole Opry Christmas”

It wouldn’t be Christmas without some time travel. Here, Christmas magic combines with the magic of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, sending Gentry (Nikki DeLoach) back in time to 1995. Her father, a country music star, is still alive. This trip to the past reignites Gentry’s dream of being a songwriter and gives her a chance to work with her dad on a song. Of course, Gentry’s lifelong friend Mac (Kristoffer Polaha), who has long harbored feelings for her, is thrown back in time too. For those who want a little country flair in their Christmas movies. Plus, there are a handful of cameo appearances from real country stars, including Brad Paisley. Available on Hallmark.

Paul Campbell and Erin Cahill in “Christmas at the Catnip Café.” (Hallmark Media)

“Christmas at the Catnip Café”

Olivia (Erin Cahill) finds the condo of her dreams, but doesn’t quite have enough money to afford the down payment. So when she learns that her late great-aunt left her a cat cafe and that a developer is looking to purchase the building, she thinks it’s her Christmas dreams coming true. All she has to do is convince the cafe’s co-owner, veterinarian Ben (Paul Campbell), to sell the place. She ends up offering to help him plan all of the cafe’s Christmas events, and slowly starts to fall in love with the cute cats and the cute vet. Available on Hallmark.

Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.

By MATT OTT, Associated Press Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week and remain at historically healthy levels despite some signs that the labor market is weakening.

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U.S. applications for jobless claims for the week ending Dec. 20 fell by 10,000 to 214,000 from the previous week’s 224,000, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. That’s below the 232,000 new applications forecast of analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet.

The weekly report was released a day early due to the Christmas holiday.

Applications for unemployment aid are viewed as a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

Last week, the government reported that the U.S. gained a decent 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration.

The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% last month, the highest since 2021.

The October job losses were caused by a 162,000 drop in federal workers, many of whom resigned at the end of fiscal year 2025 on Sept. 30 under pressure from billionaire Elon Musk’s purge of U.S. government payrolls.

Labor Department revisions also knocked 33,000 jobs off August and September payrolls.

Hiring has clearly lost momentum, hobbled by uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the lingering effects of the high interest rates the Fed engineered in 2022 and 2023 to rein in an outburst of pandemic-induced inflation. Since March, job creation has fallen to an average 35,000 a month, compared to 71,000 in the year ended in March.

Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve trimmed its benchmark lending rate by a quarter-point, its third straight cut.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the committee reduced borrowing costs out of concern that the job market is even weaker than it appears. Powell said that recent job figures could be revised lower by as much as 60,000, which would mean employers have actually been shedding an average of about 25,000 jobs a month since the spring.

Companies that have recently announced job cuts include UPS, General Motors, Amazon and Verizon, but those workforce reductions can take months to show up in the government’s data.

The Labor Department’s report Wednesday also showed that the four-week average of claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, fell by 750 to 216,750.

The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the previous week ending Dec. 13 rose by 38,000 to 1.92 million, the government said.