Super Saver: October 12, 2025

Raising Cane’s teams with Fairfield Pal with meal discount

aising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is offering a 10% discount to customers who tell the cashier they’re dining in for “Fairfield PAL.”

“It’s not just monsters and mayhem at Skreamz Haunted Attractions’ Farmer’s Curse – it’s also a delicious way to do good,” Raising Cane’s said in its promotion.

“Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is teaming up with Fairfield PAL Teen Center to turn every meal into a frightfully good deed. On Fridays and Saturdays ... (through) Nov. 1, guests who tell the cashier they’re dining in for “Fairfield PAL” will have 10% of their purchase donated to support free, year-round teen programs right here in Fairfield,” Raising Cane’s said.

“As night falls and haunted screams

echo from The Farmer’s Curse just steps away, the warm glow of Cane’s will be serving up chicken, toast … and community spirit.”

Raising Cane’s is located along the street front of the Solano Town Center, 1360 Travis Blvd., in Fairfield.

“Together, Raising Cane’s and Skreamz Haunted Attractions are proving that even in the darkest nights, there’s room for kindness – and maybe a few good scares.”

The Farmers Curse Haunted House runs Fridays and Saturdays, through Nov. 1, at 1795 Pennsylvania Ave., behind Solano Mall.

Visit sKREAMz.com for more information.

SBDC offering virtual AI

DAILY REPUBLIC STAFF

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Small businesses in Solano County and across the North Bay can learn more about Artificial Intelligence at a series of workshops to be held Nov. 5.

“Small businesses are asking not just what AI is, but how they can use it effectively in their day-to-day operations,” Michael Basayne, director of the Solano-Napa Small Business Development Center, said in a statement. “This event is about making AI real and giving our business owners affordable tools and a roadmap they can act on.”

The “North Bay AI for Small Biz Day” is hosted by four North Bay small business development centers, including Solano-Napa. The others involved

are the Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino centers.

“Small business owners across the North Bay will learn artificial intelligence (AI) tools to save time, cut costs and sharpen their competitive edge for 2026,” organizers said in a statement.

“This live, all-day virtual summit ... is designed specifically for business owners and leaders who are experimenting with or using AI and want to take their skills to the next level,” organizers said. The event includes:

• Eight expert-led workshops featuring live demos of affordable AI tools (many free or low-cost).

• Hands-on training to create a customized AI strategy for marketing, finance, and operations.

• Plug-and-play templates, checklists

BUSINESS

and a dedicated strategic AI Roadmap workbook to guide implementation during and well beyond the event.

• Practical lessons on how to evaluate AI readiness, personalize marketing, forecast finances and prepare for the future of AI-powered search.

What attendees will learn:

• Evaluate AI readiness and spot the best opportunities to save time and money.

• Understand how AI is transforming search and how to keep customers finding their business online.

• Use AI for smarter financial forecasting and decision-making.

• Customize AI tools with brand voice and data for stronger results.

• Personalize marketing to attract and connect with ideal customers.

• Generate creative content and

visuals faster than ever.

“This will prove to be a day filled with gratifying ‘aha moments,’ where attendees will fill in the gaps and expand their understanding of all things AI,” Basayne said. “AI isn’t just for tech giants anymore. Small businesses can use these tools today to save time, reach new customers, and make smarter decisions, and this event shows them how to do that.”

Early registration is $79 through Oct. 29. The price goes to $139 after that. Register at NorthBay-AI-Day. eventbrite.com.

All attendees will receive full access to the virtual summit via Zoom, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as well as replay videos of all sessions and the SBDC’s AI Roadmap workbook.

CROSSWORD

Long periods of time (Brit.)

One who renews

They start the alphabet

Periodical (slang) 19. Smooth singer Cole

Dorsal sclerites in insects 22. One from Utah 23. The world of the dead

Singer Redding

Mafia head

Wrongly

Unhappy

Made a mistake

Actor Damon

What thespians do

A polite address for a woman 44. Disallow

Swiss river 48. A banana has one 50. Afrikaans

Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.) 53. Agave 55. Journalist Tarbell

56. One-time tech leader

57. Incidentally (abbr.)

58. Intestinal

Loose sheats around the spinal cord

Accompanies nook

Vogue

Highly excited

Witch

Utilize

Writing utensil

Where rockers work

Becomes less intense

Consume

Type of catfish

“Horsetown, U.S.A.” 9. Atomic #50

10. The Muse of lyric poetry

11. Brings back to life

13. Humorous critiques

15. Cool!

17. Worst

18. Wet dirt

21. Useful

23. Hebrew unit of liquid capacity

24. High schoolers’ test

27. Internet device

29. City in India

32. A place to rest

34. Chat responder

35. A way to move on

36. What consumers are given

39. Digital audiotape

40. More (Spanish)

43. Disfigured

44. White (Spanish)

46. Church building

47. Georgia rockers

49. Surgeon’s tool

51. “Much __ about nothing”

54. Make by braiding

59. Local area network

60. Unit of work

61. Indigenous person of Thailand

62. Liquefied natural gas

64. Distance to top

COLUMN

Caught off gourd by pumpkins gone wild

Iam an accidental gardener. If any thing I plant grows to maturity, and by some fluke of nature becomes edible, it is sheer accident. If we had to survive on what I grow, we would both be very, very thin. Spa ghetti thin. We are not spaghetti thin; we are more like rigatoni.

Several years ago, I dreamed of growing potatoes. I threw some potatoes in a shoebox, threw the shoebox in a cabinet in the garage and the spuds sprouted wildly. I chopped up those taters, buried them in the ground and forgot about them.

weeks. Nothing.

The seeds in the perennial bed were long forgotten. I may have hit them with the hose a time or two, but if I did, it was purely accidental.

Back in the well-tended bed, on what seemed like day No. 479, a single bloom appeared.

That year we feasted on baked, mashed, sliced and diced potatoes from late summer through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and into spring. It was a starch marathon.

Last year, I was more deliberate about the potatoes, reading and researching, spacing and hilling, tending their every carbohydrate need. They grew to the size of marbles. Not even the chipmunks wanted them.

This spring I ventured into mini-pumpkin territory. Once again, I read and researched, dug and planted according to every single spec. Mission accomplished, I then threw a few leftover seeds into a perennial bed that thrives on neglect. I figured if the seeds somehow sprouted, 40-pound rabbits would bound out of hiding, devour them, belch to wake the dead and lumber back into hiding.

I tended the carefully planted pumpkin seeds in the vegetable bed with great devotion and high hopes. I watched and watered and weeded day after day. Days turned into

That same day, I happened to walk by the dried and cracked perennial bed and was shocked. A pumpkin vine measuring 30 feet was rolling carefree through black-eyed Susans, twisting around phlox, and cutting straight through a patch of veronica. What’s more, a secondary vine split off, branched north and was heading for the neighbors.

Back in the carefully tended garden bed, the single bloom had collapsed, no doubt exhausted by the suffocation of excessive attention.

As for the vine thriving due to lack of attention, I peeked beneath the enormous leaves and counted 40 blooms.

We may be harvesting crate loads of miniature pumpkins by the time you read this. We may be selling them on a folding table in the driveway.

Once again, the accidental gardener has achieved victory. It may have been by chance, but it is still one more in the win column. I’ll take ’em however I can grow ’em.

Lori Borgman is a columnist, author and speaker. Her new book, “What Happens at Grandma’s Stays at Grandma’s” is now available. Email her at lori@loriborgman.com.

Creamy butternut squash bisque great for those following a dairy-free diet

It may not exactly be soup weather yet, but as we march into October, you know the brisk weather that mandates pulling on a sweatshirt will soon be upon us.

The enticing aroma of burgers sizzling on a grill is starting to be replaced by the smell of a backyard fire pit, and it’s hard to walk two blocks without seeing Halloween decorations.

The scene is a little different at your local farmers market or grocery produce section, too. Bins that just a few weeks ago overflowed with sweet corn, peaches and local tomatoes now hold pumpkins, root vegetables like beets and rutabaga, kale and other hearty greens and a host of winter squash.

A perennial favorite is butternut squash, a peanut-shaped winter squash with yellow-tan skin and sweet, nutty orange flesh.

Often roasted as a side dish because it’s so easy to peel, slice and cook — all you need to make it shine is a sprinkle of salt and drizzle of olive oil — butternut also makes the great base for a creamy and super-nutritious, seasonal soup.

This recipe from Tara Punone’s upcoming cookbook, “Vegana Italiana” (Rodale Books, $32.50) is a great option for vegetarians, vegans and people who follow a dairy-free diet. Chock-full of veggies, it also is suitable for those trying to get more plant-based meals into their weekly rotation.

It starts with an aromatic, mirepoixlike mix of onion, carrots and celery sauteed in olive oil. The fragrant broth that cooks the veggies after chunks of squash are added also includes garlic, ginger and coconut milk, which adds a lovely creaminess and subtle coconut flavor.

The original recipe includes a teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg, but I wasn’t quite ready to commit to Thanksgiving flavors. So I flavored the soup instead with curry powder and a pinch of

red pepper. I also decreased the amount of coconut milk from three cans to two to make it a little less fattening. It’s easy to puree the soup right in the pot using an immersion blender. If you choose to instead liquefy it in a blender, be sure to let the soup cool for a few minutes in the blender jar before hitting the on button, and work in small batches.

RECIPE

squash is blessed with a thin and delicate skin that easily comes off with a good vegetable peeler.

With some thick pieces of buttered toast or a grilled cheese sandwich, this soup makes a filling mid-week meal. In small portions, it’s also a lovely appetizer.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Serves 8.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 cups diced onion (about 1 large)

3 cups diced carrots (about 5 large)

3 cups diced celery (about 3 stalks)

¼ cup peeled and diced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

8 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

2 15-ounce cans coconut milk

1 cup water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Zest 1 orange (about 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Dash of cinnamon

Generous sprinkle of nutmeg

1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste

Thinly sliced green onion, for garnish

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

2 tablespoons toasted pepitas, optional

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger, and saute for 10 minutes. Add butternut squash and coconut milk to the pot and stir.

Cover the pot and bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease heat to medium-low.

Keep the pot covered and simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender.

Stir in water, maple syrup, orange zest, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and curry powder.

Also, make sure to cover the top of the blender with a clean dish towel to prevent messy splatters.

When purchasing, choose a heavy butternut squash with smooth, unblemished skin and a dry, intact stem. Don’t worry when it comes time to peel it — unlike other thick-skinned winter squashes like Blue Hubbard or kabocha, butternut

Use an immersion blender to blend until the soup has a smooth, creamy consistency. It should not be porridge-like — add more water if it is too thick.

Garnish with green onions, parsley, pepitas and a drizzle of olive oil.

— adapted from “Vegana Italiana: Traditional Italian the Plant-Based Way” by Tara Punzone with Gene Stone

of Becoming Infected with West Nile Virus

Anumberoftypesofsourcesfoundwithinresidentialneighborhoodsarecapableofproducing enough adult mosquitos to bother not only the residents of one home but a number of homes in the area. These mosquitoes are also capable of transmitting West Nile virus! Water left standing for seven to ten days can produce mosquitoes during warmer weather. There are a numberof simple precautions that can be taken to preventthis from happening...

SUDOKU

FUN BY THE NUMBERS

Like puzzles? Then you’ll love Sudoku. This mindbending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your Sudoku savvy to the test!

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle! SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 12

WORD SEARCH

Find the hidden words vertically, horizontally and diagonally throughout the puzzle.

ADOPT A DOG

ADOPTION

ADULT

APPLICATION

BEHAVIOR BOND COMMITMENT

COMPANION DONATION FOREVER HOME FOSTER KENNEL LOVING

MICROCHIP NEUTER PUPPY RESCUE SCREENING SENIOR

SHELTER SPAY TRAINING TRANSPORT VOLUNTEER

California’s enchanting Danish town goes full Christmas NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN A TRIP

TRAVEL

f you’re eager to mark the holidays this year with a Danish flair but Copenhagen seems a tad too far away, you might find the answer in Solvang, California. An answer that

That city, founded in 1911 by Danish immigrants, celebrates its Julefest – the winter holidays – with an emphasis on visitor-friendly Old World traditions. This year’s schedule includes a series of events and activities from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4 – roaming carolers, Europeanstyle night markets, candlelight tours and shops transformed into micro

If you’re planning a winter road trip,

lowed by a Julefest Parade the next morning at 11 a.m.

Caroling is scheduled on several Saturdays, Nov. 29, Dec. 6, 13 and 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. in Solvang Park (weather permitting). Art and craft markets will materialize on Wednesdays, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, from 3 to 7 p.m.

Solvang Park will offer light and music shows nightly Nov. 28 through Jan. 4. There are also evening trolley rides and meet-and-greet opportunities with Santa (in Solvang Park) are set for noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 29 and 30, then Dec. 6, 7, 13,14, 20 and 21.

On Dec. 31, attention shifts to Julefest’s Copenhagen Countdown in Solvang Park, ringing in the Danish new year at 3 p.m., Pacific Standard Time. This event, from 2 to 4 p.m., will feature live music from an ’80s tribute band known as the Molly Ringwald Project.

Solvang, about 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has about 20 hotels and most are smallish and independent. The largest is the Corque Hotel (122 rooms), which is affiliated with Marriott but owned by the Santa Ynez Band

The most intimate and affordable hotels – often in a vintage motel sort of way – include the Atterdag Inn (8 rooms), New Haven Inn (10 rooms), Hamlet Inn (13 rooms), Mirabelle Inn (13 rooms), the Viking Inn (13 rooms) and the

The most luxurious is the Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, whose 73 rooms and cottages routinely rent for $1,500 nightly or more (the property includes a lake and

Gnomes and a troll are expected

The seasonal offerings also include candlelight tours (featuring LED candles and hosts in costume), Christmas light tours and daily hunting for nisser (gnomes) throughout downtown Solvang.

The troll – nicknamed Lulu Hyggelig –isn’t really a seasonal addition. It (or she, if you prefer) is a permanent resident of the city’s California Nature Art Museum, added in February. Lulu, made of recycled pallets and wine barrels, is one of many trolls created worldwide by Danish artist and recycling activist Thomas Dambo and his team of veteran builders and volunteers.

Christmas trees will burn – and that’s part of the celebration

Tree lighting will happen at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, in Solvang Park, fol-

The season ends with a Christmas tree burn, billed as a safety demonstration, supervised by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, weather permitting.

ABOVE: Solvang celebrates Julefest – the winter holidays –with an emphasis on visitor-friendly Old World traditions.

FAR LEFT: A festive Julefest parade in Solvang.

LEFT: There will be European-style markets to peruse in Solvang during Julefest.