MoreMarin Buzz Home

SubUrban Legend - Pigs in San Anselmo

2009-11-11T12:15:00-08:00

Around the turn of the 20th century, San Anselmo was being overrun by blind pigs—scores of them. These fat and frenzied ungulates were charging all over town and wreaking havoc in all kinds of ways. (Not the least of which was creating an abundance of unwanted fertilizer.) At their wits end, citizens banded together and pleaded with city fathers to do something about their rampant swine crisis. (And you thought the swine flu was bad?) Even vegetarians were screaming "Bacon morning, noon and night!" But, alas, the poor local butchers couldn't keep up with the supply.

All that oinking would drive anyone to drink, and "drink" is the operative word here. Unsighted pigs weren't the problem, but unlicensed saloons--also known as "blind pigs"--were. And it was these saloons that finally pushed San Anselmo to incorporate so that it could better regulate the sale of illegal alcohol. Heck, when you had establishments serving up a cup of whiskey when asked for a cup of tea...

I want tea please! Oh, did you say Jack Daniels??? No, tea! OK, a double Daniels it is!

Well, you get the picture. So on March 30, 1907, San Anselmo voted to become a city by a vote of 83 to 79. An ordinance was then passed to prohibit the sale of liquor except by "a grocer to the back door." But a few years later "blind pigs" were still operating, begging the question: "What really is in Grandma Gladys's cup?"

Hiccup.

OK, and now a bit of trivia: The difference between a speakeasy and a blind pig? A speakeasy was "higher-classed," where even a coat and tie was sometimes required. A blind pig was, well, more of a "dive," and it sometimes circumvented the law by charging customers to see an attraction (such as a pig) and then offering up complimentary "beverages."

Genuinely inspirational 'The Miracle Worker' from Ross Valley Players

2009-11-11T11:29:35-08:00

Theater Matters with Dave Fickbohm

Like Annie Sullivan, the teacher whose stubborn hand guided deaf and blind Helen Keller out of darkness and silence, director Linda Dunn refuses to settle for less than the best. Atop a strong cast in this presentation of the 1959 William Gibson classic, The Miracle Worker, stand two young women: Samantha Martin and Sierra Stephens, who deliver hauntingly genuine performances as Keller

It's a role rife with possibilities for a young actor to go wrong, flailing arms and moaning like a maniac. Instead, Stephens and fifth grader Martin, alternating in the role, show a sharp sense of timing and full understanding of the dignity Gibson gave Keller; actor and author both offer an achingly real little girl trapped in an existential hell of sensory deprivation.

Read the rest of the review in MoreCulture.

Video of the Day - This Decade in 7 Minutes

2009-11-11T10:16:00-08:00

Newsweek put together a compilation video of a decade's worth of major news events from Iraq to iPods, and from Bush to Borat-- take a look

Hate your teacher? Then rate your teacher

2009-11-11T08:42:49-08:00

Online, there's a place to review and rate anything these days--restaurants, hotels, cars--you name it.

And that's usually a good thing for consumers who want to get the most for their money. But sometimes it can go both ways--someone with an ax to grind can really wreak havoc on an online forum.

Like, for example, one where you can rate your professor, or teacher.

One high school student in Larkspur, was bothered enough to write an editorial in the student newspaper, The Bark, on one such online rating website, RateMyTeacher.com. Calling it 'online assault', Redwood High's Trevor Oeschel writes-
"When looking at some of the reviews of teachers I came upon one review that just said, "I hate her with a passion." Why should this one single, obviously biased review follow him or her for the rest of their career? It's obviously unreliable."

RateMyTeacher allows you to search for any high school and see how the teachers stack up through a fairly primitive rating system that allows you to score for easiness, helpfulness and clarity on a scale of 1 (being the worst) to 5 (being the best).

Looking at the Redwood High list, it appears that nearly all the teachers are listed on the site and you can see their average 'score' without creating an account. To see the comments, some of which Oeschel particularly objects to, you just click on the teacher's name. Here's a sample--
"She was terrible,horrible, i hated her. Completely inconsiderate. Overly sarcastic, accusing and unfair"

"grr......i really dislike her. awful teaching, does not clarify lessons, unrealistic in expectations. evil. unpredictable, mean-spirited, grating."

"ya she will like you if you are on the track team"

There are positive comments as well, but those could be just as unreliable-- an easy teacher who doesn't expect much from their student might get raves.

According to Oeschel, 'honesty is always the best policy' but he claims it can't be found on sites like this.

Marin News Roundup

2009-11-11T06:30:00-08:00

Man stays on Rancho Adobe fire board despite crime: Gee, a former San Francisco fire captain who currently is serving as president of the board, pleaded guilty in a Marin County Court on Sept. 30 to the misdemeanor charge of falsely reporting a crime. (Read more)

Marin Energy Authority gets $85,000 loan from county: The Marin Energy Authority received an $85,000 loan from the county of Marin on Tuesday, the final allotment of more than $500,000 previously promised to the authority by county supervisors. (Read more)

San Rafael Man Arrested after Restraining Order Violation: On November 8, 2009 at about 9:17 AM, sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence on Elderberry Lane in Marinwood to investigate a report of a restraining order violation. (Read more)

Six suspects deny guilt in Novato homicide; trial date set: Six suspects charged in the fatal shooting of Novato resident Tong Van Le pleaded not guilty Tuesday, and a trial date was set for next September. (Read more)

The West Marin Report: Swastika poster in a Bolinas-Stinson School District classroom sparks EEOC complaint after a former staffer alleges wrongful termination after complaining about the poster. (Read more)

Calif. launches second recycling bin project: Recycling bins will be placed at a roadside rest area in Marin County, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, on Nov. 15. (Read more)

Progress in the backyard peace process: Two young bucks sparring in my backyard on Sunday in preparation for bigger battles to come… (Read more)

Time to Reinvent Your Life?: Three locals who pulled off a midlife switch (Read more)

Mill Valley man zapped with stun gun in hotel fracas: A Mill Valley man was arrested on suspicion of hitting a woman and biting her on the face at a hotel on Shoreline Highway, the sheriff's department reported. (Read more)

Tamalpais Bank reports $5.1 million loss: In the same quarter last year, the bank showed a net income of $1.5 million. (Read more)

Marin pesticide management changes outlined: Marin County officials outlined a plan Tuesday designed to ensure that mistakes don't reoccur in the implementation of a law that prohibits county use of certain pesticides and herbicides. (Read more)

Hit It and Quit It!

2009-11-10T11:19:06-08:00

Paragraphs by Paul Miller

Former Marin County Supervisor Barbara Boxer has always been a consistent politician, one full of integrity. She was like that as a supervisor, a U.S representative and now as a United States Senator. You can count on her serving her constituents consistently without flip-flopping.
She means it when she says, "Medical professionals, not insurance company bureaucrats, should be making health care decisions." And she is working like a draft horse in the Senate, more than likely even as you read this paragraph, to put together a health care bill that will fulfill this promise of hers: "We have the greatest hospitals, doctors, and medical technology in the world - we need to make them accessible to every American."
But you cannot—and this is profound—count on her to be consistent in one important way.
Her hairdos change almost ever time we see her at a press conference or in a hearing, as she is seen calling out some pretender like Condoleezza Rice, or even showing up on MSNBC for an eight-minute interview. The frustration of it is that sometimes her hairdo makes her look real good. And at other times...well, just check out some those other times below.
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Long time Marinite Paul Miller was editorial cartoonist for the Marin IJ, sports cartoonist for the Novato Advance, a cover cartoonist for the Pacific Sun, and is currently a cartoonist illustrator for The Ark.   He's had cartoons published in the San Francisco Chronicle and his surf paintings have been published on the Surfriders Foundation website. He joins MoreMarin as a contributing editorial cartoonist.

Miller, a former Marine and UCLA graduate, taught a cartooning course in the art department at the College of Marin. His paintings and drawings are in private collections in California, Arizona, Washington, Hawaii, Texas, Florida and Provence, France. Miller's book, A Cartoonist's Guide to Prostate Cancer, was described by Dr. Dean Edell as "a must for any man facing prostate cancer!"

Gore's solutions to planet predicament outlined in book event in Marin

2009-11-10T10:00:49-08:00

Former Vice President Al Gore has a plan to end climate change, and over 1,000 Marinites got a chance to hear about that plan in person, when he appeared at Dominican University on Monday evening.
Gore, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his climate change awareness efforts, is currently on a nationwide book tour to promote Our Choice: A Plan To Solve The Climate Crisis, his manifesto for changing our current policies and practices that result in a warming planet.
Frequently punctuating his talk with humor, insight and passion, Gore looked totally at ease while addressing Marin, in what could only be described as preaching to the choir.
"I love Marin County. It's more or less a cross-section of America," said Gore after getting a large round of applause to one of his points, then adding, "I wish...I would've just completed my second term as President!"

If it wasn't a cross-section of America, it was at least a cross-section of Marin as old, young, families and singles packed Angelico Hall for his sold-out appearance. Sitting in the front row were the Von Gleisen family of San Francisco. Holly Carver, who along with her husband worked with Gore in Washington and are longtime friends of the Gores, said she wanted her kids Cole and Ellie, to hear what he had to say.
"It's a great opportunity to have the kids come out here and hear first hand about climate change and what they can do to make a difference. We bought the book, the children's version which is really great."
Eleven year-old Cole, added, "I think it's good because he's very important and he's talking about the environment."

Our Choice is a sort of follow-up to An Inconvenient Truth, his book that originally touted "planetary emergency" and later became the iconic movie in which which he managed to make climate change a household phrase. Our Choice sprang from what the Vice President referred to as "solution summits", more than 30 gatherings over a three-year period in which he invited, and met, with hundreds of scientists and experts to gauge their insights and solutions to ending the climate crisis.
Citing a perfect storm of melting ice caps, higher temperatures, deeper droughts, more humidity and stronger storms that result from excess CO2, Gore said "it is a challenge very different in magnitude and scope from any other crisis that we have ever faced."
In addition, Gore pinned blame on fossil fuels for our current economic and national security crisis, saying both were a result of our "our ridiculous over-dependence on carbon-based fuel."
Gore's solution to all this crisis?
An energy 'supergrid' which would combine renewable sources of solar, wind, geo-thermal and biomass.
Gore dismissed so-called "clean coal" technology touted by President Obama, saying it would be overly expensive and energy-inefficient. He was also skeptical of relying too much on energy produced by nuclear power and another hot topic--carbon capture and sequestration--a method in which excess CO2 is captured, liquefied and buried, saying both are too time-consuming.
Gore laid heavy blame on a political process that is rife with pernicious special interests (in both political parties) for not addressing the climate change crisis, and he took advantage of the University setting to call on young America to answer the call, and also to ask everyone to do more.
"This crisis gives us an unparalleled opportunity, as we rise to solve this crisis, to successfully address many other challenges that have been allowed to linger for far too long."
After his address, audience members, including the Van Gleisen family above, got a chance to have their own book copies personally signed by the Vice-President.
Shunya, from San Anselmo had waited a long time for the opportunity to see Gore in person.
"I've always been a fan of Al Gore, and here I am happy to actually see him for the first time in person. I bought the book and now here I am."
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Our Choice: A Plan To Solve The Climate Crisis is available at Book Passage, who were one of the sponsors of the event.

Video of the Day - Trash Jewelry

2009-11-10T08:15:00-08:00

On one hand it's creative, it cleans up the beach and some of it even looks good-- on the other hand it's a bracelet made of milk carton plugs. Only in Marin folks, only in Marin. Check out this ABC7 report--

Marin News Roundup

2009-11-10T06:30:00-08:00

Golden Gate Bridge lane change helps northbound evening commuters: Golden Gate Bridge officials have changed evening commute lane configurations… (Read more)

Weekend Fireball Still a Mystery: People from the as far south as Hollister and as far north as Marin County called into NBC Bay Area news after seeing what they described as a fiery object trailed by… (Read more)

Fines for burning on winter Spare the Air days: Warning letters were sent in 254 cases. Marin County and Contra Costa County were tied for the highest number with… (Read more)

Department of Energy grant comes in wake of shutdown at Geysers: AltaRock Geothermal and a partner will get a fresh infusion of nearly $25 million… (Read more)

Former shelter workers issue statement supporting closure of Milo in San Rafael: About a dozen former Milo Foundation board members, workers and volunteers have issued a letter of support for the Marin Humane Society, heralding its decision last month to shutter the embattled San Rafael-based animal-adoption organization… (Read more)

Talking pictures: Mark Pitta & friend : Hopelessly deranged spectacle of violence reminds Mort Sahl of a good joke… (Read more)

Fall hiking is for the birds: In November, the moist, densely forested eastern valleys below the Inverness Ridge serve as great local hiking grounds… (Read more)

Judges rap parole board over Sausalito killer's appeal: A state appeals court has reluctantly ruled against a Sausalito murderer in a dispute with the parole board, faulting the parole system for trapping the inmate in a legal Catch-22… (Read more)

Veterans Day ceremony set for Wednesday: Marin County's official Veterans Day program will start at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Marin Center's Veterans Memorial Auditorium. (Read more)

Bolinas man brings yoga behind bars: After James Fox led prisoners through asanas in his weekly yoga class at San Quentin, two inmates got into a brawl… (Read more)

Court fight to protect Marin low-income home ownership program proves costly: A Marin Housing Authority program that makes it possible for low-income residents to buy homes in Marin is continuing to struggle… (Read more)

San Rafael chamber appoints new CEO: The board of San Rafael Chamber of Commerce of Marin has appointed Rick Wells president and CEO. (Read more)

Swine flu vaccinations due to arrive this week, area hospitals banning kid visitors

2009-11-09T17:04:25-08:00

Marin, which has been on the short end of the H1N1 flu vaccine distribution in California, is due to get an allotment this week. Jody Pimms, from Marin Health and Human Services-
"We are expecting some this week, although we don't have any idea how much it will be but it should be received in the next day or two."

Pimms went on to add that the first 2,000 doses will be set aside for this weekend's upcoming H1N1 flu vaccine clinic in San Rafael. That clinic will distribute injectable vaccine doses to patients at higher risk of contracting the virus. There are three additional clinics scheduled; two more in November and one in early December.
Additionally, Pimms told us that physicians who could not get the vaccine up to now, will most likely be able to obtain some of the vaccine soon. The state was coordinating with the various county health departments on supply and demand.
"The health department is dispensing it as they can," said Pimms, adding "And we'll get it to whoever requested it first."
Area hospitals are stepping up prevention measures that now include banning young visitors.
Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael was the among first to announce that it was barring children 14-and-under from entering the hospital to visit other patients. A number of other Bay Area hospitals, including Stanford and Lucille Packard Children's Hospitals in Palo Alto and just today, UCSF Medical Center in SF.
We called Marin General to see if they were considering such a ban. Their Communications Director, Cathy Graham, told us that "it was under discussion. My guess is that they will do that."
A reminder that only high risk patients will be eligible for the clinic vaccines this weekend
Those include pregnant women; persons who live with or provide care for infants aged less than 6 months old; health care workers; children and young adults aged 6 months-24 years and persons aged 25-64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications, such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.
The rest of us will continue to wait for ours. Meanwhile, you know (see photo at right) the drill.

What to do? Where to go? Who to see? We'll tell you...

2009-11-09T16:30:21-08:00

Introducing our newest feature, the MoreMarin Events Calendar!
The Calendar button is located up on the navigation bar at the top of the website. You can search by date, location or category, and because we limit entries to only-in-Marin, you won't waste precious time sifting through events in other Bay Area locations. And you can set custom filters to show you only events in specific locations or on subjects you care about.
What about if you want to submit an event?
This is a self-post calendar that anyone can use.
Simply click 'submit event' at the tab at the top, and follow the instructions to enter your cultural, political, fundraiser, festival, sporting or other event for publication. You can add photos, links to your website and even videos to your calendar entry.
Now you don't have to search high and low for something to do-- simply check the MoreMarin calendar!

Big cats need love too

2009-11-09T15:51:34-08:00

Not every pet up for adoption is a cute, small kitty or puppy. Take, for instance, Ginger and Mocha.
These two plus-size cats (each cat weighs over a whopping 23 pounds!) were surrendered to the Marin Humane Society when their owner couldn't care for them any longer. The cats are also considered 'senior citizens' at ten years old apiece.
To make matters more complicated, Mocha the female calico is in the early stages of kidney disease and needs some extra attention. And both need to be kept on a weight-loss program.
"Ginger and Mocha are big cats with big hearts to match," says Carrie Harrington, Communications Manager for MHS, "Adopting a senior pair with health issues takes a very special and committed person."
We're sure that person is out there somewhere. The folks at MHS will begin accepting applications for adoption for Ginger and Mocha Tuesday, November 10. Call (415) 506-6225 for more information.

Baby stroller recall consumer alert!

2009-11-09T11:33:10-08:00

One million baby strollers from Maclaren are being recalled due to finger injuries, including amputations. The recall was announced after 12 children lost their fingers in a hinge mechanism on the stroller while they were being opened or closed.
The strollers on the recall list are sold at Babies 'R' Us (1 in Marin City; 1 in San Rafael) and Target stores (1 in Novato). Here is a list of the types of Maclaren strollers that have been recalled.
For more information, contact Maclaren at 877.688.2326.

Video of the Day - Marshmallow Test

2009-11-09T11:17:00-08:00

A kids idea of torture--

Historic wooden boat center celebrates the new and the old

2009-11-09T08:23:00-08:00

"Western christening started with the Norse and when they launched a long boat, they used to do a human sacrifice and put a little blood on the bow. We checked with Sausalito City and they kind of frowned on that so we're doing the more updated version."
Forgoing the blood for the bubbly, the speaker christened and launched the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center's newest wooden boat, the Lightly Salted. The 12-foot Norwegian sailing pram was designed and built entirely by hand from students at the Spaulding Youth Boat Building Program at the Center in Sausalito.
(Click to enlarge photos, and see all the photos in the photo album here.)

About 200 or so guests showed up for the special event at the Center to celebrate the new launch with special speakers, food and live music. Spaulding Wooden Boat Center, a historic boat building, boat restoration, sailing and educational center, is located on Sausalito's waterfront.
In addition, the Center launched another wooden boat, this one originally designed and built by the Center's founder, Myron Spaulding. The Auroral, a 33-foot sloop, was restored by an employee of the Spaulding Boat Yard where wooden boats of every shape, size and color are brought back to life.
But the centerpiece of the celebration was the beginning of the planking of the Freda, the Center's most famous, well known and historic vessel. Freda, a 32-foot gaff sloop, is the oldest active sailing yacht on the West Coast. The Center has been working at "museum-quality restoration" on Freda, for the last several years.
While Andrea Rey, Spaulding's Program Manager, expressed delight at the progress of Freda's restoration, she stressed the need for more donations to keep the project going.
"Everyone here--they are just passionate about boats and this is the only place where they can come to celebrate wooden boats culture," said Rey, "We have been raising a lot of money which is what keeps us going. We are getting there, but we need $100,000 dollars more to finish."
(More photos from the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center below, and here's a link to the full photo album.)
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Spaulding Wooden Boat Center is located at the foot of Gate 5 Rd in Sausalito.

Tours of the Center take place on Wednesday between 12Noon and 2:00pm, or by appointment.

Call 415.332.3179 for more information.

The Center relies on donations of time and money in order to continue their historic restoration work, education programs and Maritime Musuem.

The Arques School of Traditional Boatbuilding is housed on the property. Arques students apprentice in a three level program that can take several years to complete as they master their craft.

Marin News Roundup

2009-11-09T06:30:00-08:00

Kaiser prohibits young children from entering hospitals to keep swine flu out: In an effort to prevent patients from being exposed to swine flu, Kaiser, in San Rafael has begun barring children age 14 and younger from entering the hospital as visitors. (Read more)

Metallica's Hetfield, county work on Terra Linda trail deal: Marin heavy metal star James Hetfield is working with the county's Parks and Open Space District on a new trail that would skirt a monolithic fence the Metallica frontman erected on his property… (Read more)

Bay Area's Great Balls of Fire: From the as far south as Hollister, to San Francisco, and even Marin County… (Read more)

Popular local coffee purveyor Peet's set to open at Northgate: The popular local coffee company has a space next to Chipotle Mexican Grill. The coffee shop is under construction and set to open… (Read more)

Default notices rising in upper echelon ZIPs: In upscale communities such as Los Altos, Greenbrae and Alamo, where median prices top $1 million… (Read more)

Upfront: Ah, Novato...ah, Humanity! : Habitat for Humanity breaks new ground in more ways than one… (Read more)

Local Marines to celebrate Corps' birthday Monday: Dozens of grizzled veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps will gather at San Rafael Joe's restaurant during the lunch hour Monday to… (Read more)

Latino film festival lives on: The underpinnings can be traced back to the passions of one San Rafael woman, Sylvia Perel, the artistic director of the International Latino Film Festival and… (Read more)

Web of foreclosure spreads in Marin: In the past decade, tragic events have befallen Dennis Temple of San Rafael much like dominoes, one after another, including a stroke, loss of loved ones and… (Read more)

The West Marin Report: Oysters? In Hayward?! (Read more)

Deputies, CHP find lost hikers near Fairfax: Authorities in Marin County have been busy lately looking for lost hikers… (Read more)

Two schools work to give U.S. troops a lift: Two Marin schools collected care-package items for oversees troops… (Read more)

HELICOPTER HELPS LOCATE TWO HIKERS WHO GOT LOST AFTER DARK: Two hikers who got lost northwest of Fairfax, near the Loma Alta area of Marin County, Saturday evening were… (Read more)

Day of Dead celebration in San Rafael honors deceased with joy, no haunting here: Building private altars honoring the deceased is at the heart of the Day of the Dead celebration, which is celebrated in … (Read more)

Somewhere in Marin!

2009-11-06T16:16:08-08:00

While on a stroll one day, we stumbled across this enormous, white metal sculpture.
Where in Marin can you find this piece of outdoor art?

This huge sculpture sits in an abandoned playground of what used to be the McPhail School in the Santa Venetia area of San Rafael.
The 30 foot-high sculpture is by artist Robert Ellison and it is called "Four Times Daily." He originally built it in 1978 where it debuted at the San Francisco Civic Plaza (photo below). It was then moved to its current location in the 80s. The school was turned into the China Camp Design Center but that is gone too. The only thing that remains is Ellison's massive sculpture. (Civic Center photo is courtesy of the artist's website.)

Video of the Day - Friday's Music Video

2009-11-06T12:37:00-08:00

I WANT MY MTV! (Except this video is on VH1, but whatever)

Day of the Dead celebration this weekend

2009-11-06T10:03:37-08:00

Day of the Dead. It sure sounds like a bummer.
But Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos, is a traditional holiday celebrated in Central America and Mexico to commemorate family members, and loved ones, who have passed away.
And it's celebrated as a happy holiday with lively, colorful decorations including altars created to honor the dead, a procession with celebrants through the neighborhood, and sweets.
The Canal district in San Rafael holds a Day of the Dead celebration every year; this year it's their 21st annual at Pickleweed Park Community Center. Saturday's festivities begin at 4 p.m. and conclude with a community celebration at 7 p.m.
Pickleweed Park Community Center is located at 50 Canal St in San Rafael.
For more information, check the website here, or call 415.526-2486.
(Artwork courtesy of Day of the Dead website)

Marin News Roundup

2009-11-06T06:30:00-08:00

Free H1N1 flu vaccine clinics set for later this month: After coping with a short supply, more H1N1 vaccine is set to arrive in Marin, prompting public health officials to schedule a series of free clinics to get high-risk people vaccinated. (Read more)

Suspect Arrested in Attempted Burglary of Mill Valley Home: On November 4, 2009 at about 2 PM, sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence on Laverne Avenue in Mill Valley to investigate a reported interrupted burglary. (Read more)

Feature: Lights...camera...slow down!: San Rafael revs up the traffic tickets, but is safety the goal—or revenue? (Read more)

Few People Speak at Hearing About Increasing Bay Area Bridge Tolls : A key transportation committee is considering raising tolls by at least $1 on the Bay Area's seven state-owned bridges next year, but the proposal doesn't seem to be generating much controversy as only five people spoke at a public hearing on the subject Wednesday. (Read more)

Sausalito Weekend for November 6 - November 7 - November 8: All the Sausalito weekend events from the folks at OurSausalito.com (Read more)

Welcome Home, Lefty the Chihuahua: Lange, who served as the voice stand-in for Drew Barrymore in "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," believed someone swiped the little pooch from her San Rafael back yard. (Read more)

Sushi Ran still has region's freshest fish: For more than two decades, Sushi Ran has been the place to go for the freshest fish - and still is, despite the fact that longtime chef Haruo Komatsu now heads up Tsukiji sushi in Mill Valley. (Read more)

Development proposal for Novato's Hanna Ranch well-received: For the first time in decades, a development proposal for the Hanna Ranch property in Novato might gain enough traction to move through the civic approval process. (Read more)

Marin ‘carbon farming’ shows promise: Lead Marin Carbon researcher Whendee Silver, an ecosystem ecology professor at UC Berkeley, said grassland ecosystems like those found in West Marin can hold a remarkable amount of carbon in their dense root systems — more carbon than forests in some instances. (Read more)

The West Marin Report : No more dropped calls in Stinson Beach?... (Read more)

‘Mamas’ share their monologues: Going to church probably isn’t at the top of the list of activities for moms planning a fun Saturday night out without kids. (Read more)

DA spanks MMWD for illegal stream diversion: The Marin Municipal Water District has been slapped with nearly $50,000 in fines and penalties for flouting state environmental regulations in a culvert project in Fairfax. (Read more)

Oregon Is Really for the Birds : A long, strange journey for a group of sick birds came to a glorious end near Sausalito Thursday. (Read more)

San Rafael student flips car after falling asleep: A Dominican University student escaped serious injury Thursday after falling asleep behind the wheel and driving off the freeway on her way to school, police said. (Read more)

Editorial: Time to Take Down the Campaign Signs: We don't know our neighbors very well. (Read more)

Weekend Events: Music and more all weekend long (Read more)

Weekend Family Events for November 6, 7 & 8: Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our Family Events Calendar. (Read more)

Video of the Day - Time for some Wine

2009-11-05T19:56:07-08:00

I'm sure these people are French. Why? Who else loves wine so much they can open a bottle of vino without the opener. A votre sante!

Talkin' turkey in Corte Madera

2009-11-05T16:07:35-08:00

Once again Town Center shoppers in Corte Madera will be greeted by the World's Largest Turkey! It's the 16th annual year the gigantic turkey has perched in its pen collecting donated canned goods for the needy.
According to Anne Rogers, Executive Director of Marin Community Food Bank, "programs like the Town Center Turkey do an extraordinary amount of good for our collections."
The turkey stands 20 feet high and was created by the folks at Lucasfilm's ILM and it will be at Town Center through the holidays.
Bring your canned goods, toiletries and non-perishable items down to Town Center and do some good, people!

Novato parents have been deported

2009-11-05T10:50:06-08:00

Novato residents Salvador and Elida Mejia-Perez, illegal immigrants who've lived in the U.S. for 17 years, are now back in their native Guatemala. The two, along with their youngest daughter, were deported Wednesday evening after a long struggle to stay in the U.S. They left behind two other children. ABC7 has the internet report--

Hit It and Quit It!

2009-11-05T09:54:09-08:00

Paragraphs by Paul Miller
I would rather be a pro bono tax lawyer or a summer roofer in Death Valley than a politician in Marin, or any other county. Most local politicians receive little glory and few perks for what is an uncomfortable job a substantial part of the time. What pleasure or satisfaction is there going to even two block parties or fund raising cocktail parties, let alone 48? Any citizen who has suffered a 7 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. city council meeting where the words were vile, the energy suffocating, and the chairs hard (if you could find one) has to agree to the job's discomfort. But a democracy cannot operate without politicians. The job is an honorable one.

So why is the word "politician" most often used pejoratively?   Because politicians with integrity, such as Marin Supervisors Hal Brown and Charles McGlashan and San Anselmo Mayor Peter Breen, for example, are in the same movie that somebody like Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut stinks up.

If any of the Marin politicians I have mentioned say they are going to do something, they deliver: Brown advocates fire protection and has a concrete record of delivering it in any form he can. Breen says he will try his best to fix town streets in a broken economy, and a depleted staff of workers have been out there doing what they can with what little coin they have. McGlashan declares he is a dedicated protector of Marin wetlands and hills and open country and air and water and, consequently, also a protector of Marinites' great, great grandchildren who are not yet even born. Anyone who deals with McGlashan knows he delivers to the tenth power on that declaration.
But high profile Lieberman, who blows around about what he is doing for America's health, and then tries to kill health care reform that includes the kind of care he gets; committee chairman Lieberman who mouths that he cares so much about America and the Democratic Party, but who then speaks at the GOP convention—the GOP convention!—to attack the Democratic Party's nominee. This is the kind of politician--the one whose campaign war chest is full of money from health care insurance companies--this is the kind of no-integrity politician that turns the word "politician", into a swear word.
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Long time Marinite Paul Miller was editorial cartoonist for the Marin IJ, sports cartoonist for the Novato Advance, a cover cartoonist for the Pacific Sun, and is currently a cartoonist illustrator for The Ark.   He's had cartoons published in the San Francisco Chronicle and his surf paintings have been published on the Surfriders Foundation website. He joins MoreMarin as a contributing editorial cartoonist.

Miller, a former Marine and UCLA graduate, taught a cartooning course in the art department at the College of Marin. His paintings and drawings are in private collections in California, Arizona, Washington, Hawaii, Texas, Florida and Provence, France. Miller's book, A Cartoonist's Guide to Prostate Cancer, was described by Dr. Dean Edell as "a must for any man facing prostate cancer!"

Marin News Roundup

2009-11-05T06:30:00-08:00

More than 10,000 Marin ballots remain uncounted: Tuesday's election is over, but workers at the Marin County Registrar of Voters' office will be counting ballots through next week. (Read more)

Marin reelects 10 of 14 incumbents: Voters in Marin County Tuesday re-elected 10 of 14 incumbents seeking re-election to nine councils. (Read more)

Man gets life term for sex assault on San Rafael girl: Armando Esteban Escobar was sentenced to 15 years to life by Judge Terrence Boren. Escobar will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole, but then the parole board could extend his term up to 15 years. (Read more)

The West Marin Report: There’s Salmon in them there streams… (Read more)

Homeward Bound throwing gala to recognize fundraising success: Homeward Bound of Marin will host a meeting of "shareholders" Saturday to recognize the success of its unusual strategy to raise money to fight homelessness. (Read more)

NCRA, SMART release timeline for trains: Construction work is finished on the railroad tracks that will carry freight trains through Novato. Now the tracks need to be inspected, and then freight trains are expected to start rolling by March 2010. (Read more)

Novato rock concert raises no money for schools: This year, hit by falling attendance and ticket sales, the seventh annual Rock'n Blues event failed to generate a single dime for Novato schools. (Read more)

Circle Bank reports third quarter profit: “While we are not in the position to declare that the local economy has turned around, we are comfortable with our own growth plans.” (Read more)

Marin pioneering new 'smart' energy highway: Field-testing has begun in Marin County for one of the nation's first "smart grid" demonstration projects that ultimately could help modernize the nation's power grid. (Read more)

142 Throckmorton Theatre hustles in lean times: "It's not sustainable," she said. "I'm not rich. I'm just an idealist." (Read more)

Bolinas beach camping ban gets nod: Bolinas residents Tuesday voted in favor of a ban on overnight camping on the town's beach, delivering a win for its proponents but falling short of the clear consensus that local leaders had sought on the issue. (Read more)

Hotel eyed for Hanna Ranch: At a meeting on the night of Wednesday, Nov. 4, developers will unveil plans to build a 116-room, midscale hotel, two restaurants, a retail building and a retail building with office space upstairs on the 19-acre Hanna Ranch property just south of the Vintage Oaks shopping mall. (Read more)

Marin City students to perform with Oakland Symphony: A group of Marin City students got the chance to perform with the Oakland Symphony this week. (Read more)

Most long-time residents of West Marin know his story: For 22 years beginning in 1971, John Francis of Point Reyes Station refused to ride in motorized vehicles (largely as a reaction to a humongous oil spill at the Golden Gate). (Read more)

Report: Marin, North Bay pay more for transportation/housing costs: Marin and other North Bay residents pay a lot for housing and transportation, more so than other regions in the Bay Area, according to a report Wednesday by the Urban Land Institute's Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing. (Read more)

Mill Valley agrees to split top jobs for police and fire: In light of this month's retirement of Robert Ritter, the city's director of fire and police services for the past dozen years, the City Council on Monday approved reorganization measures to eliminate his position and replace it with police and fire chiefs. (Read more)

	Man stays on Rancho Adobe fire board despite crime: Gee, a former San Francisco fire captain who currently is serving as president of the board, pleaded guilty in a Marin County Court on Sept. 30 to the misdemeanor charge of falsely reporting a crime. (Read more)
	Marin Energy Authority gets $85,000 loan from county: The Marin Energy Authority received an $85,000 loan from the county of Marin on Tuesday, the final allotment of more than $500,000 previously promised to the authority by county supervisors. (Read more)
	San Rafael Man Arrested after Restraining Order Violation: On November 8, 2009 at about 9:17 AM, sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence on Elderberry Lane in Marinwood to investigate a report of a restraining order violation. (Read more)
	Six suspects deny guilt in Novato homicide; trial date set: Six suspects charged in the fatal shooting of Novato resident Tong Van Le pleaded not guilty Tuesday, and a trial date was set for next September. (Read more)
	The West Marin Report: Swastika poster in a Bolinas-Stinson School District classroom sparks EEOC complaint after a former staffer alleges wrongful termination after complaining about the poster. (Read more)
	Calif. launches second recycling bin project: Recycling bins will be placed at a roadside rest area in Marin County, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, on Nov. 15. (Read more)
	Progress in the backyard peace process: Two young bucks sparring in my backyard on Sunday in preparation for bigger battles to come… (Read more)
	Time to Reinvent Your Life?: Three locals who pulled off a midlife switch (Read more)
	Mill Valley man zapped with stun gun in hotel fracas: A Mill Valley man was arrested on suspicion of hitting a woman and biting her on the face at a hotel on Shoreline Highway, the sheriff's department reported. (Read more)
	Tamalpais Bank reports $5.1 million loss: In the same quarter last year, the bank showed a net income of $1.5 million. (Read more)
	Marin pesticide management changes outlined: Marin County officials outlined a plan Tuesday designed to ensure that mistakes don't reoccur in the implementation of a law that prohibits county use of certain pesticides and herbicides. (Read more)

	Golden Gate Bridge lane change helps northbound evening commuters: Golden Gate Bridge officials have changed evening commute lane configurations… (Read more)
	Weekend Fireball Still a Mystery: People from the as far south as Hollister and as far north as Marin County called into NBC Bay Area news after seeing what they described as a fiery object trailed by… (Read more)
	Fines for burning on winter Spare the Air days: Warning letters were sent in 254 cases. Marin County and Contra Costa County were tied for the highest number with… (Read more)
	Department of Energy grant comes in wake of shutdown at Geysers: AltaRock Geothermal and a partner will get a fresh infusion of nearly $25 million… (Read more)
	Former shelter workers issue statement supporting closure of Milo in San Rafael: About a dozen former Milo Foundation board members, workers and volunteers have issued a letter of support for the Marin Humane Society, heralding its decision last month to shutter the embattled San Rafael-based animal-adoption organization… (Read more)
	Talking pictures: Mark Pitta & friend : Hopelessly deranged spectacle of violence reminds Mort Sahl of a good joke… (Read more)
	Fall hiking is for the birds: In November, the moist, densely forested eastern valleys below the Inverness Ridge serve as great local hiking grounds… (Read more)
	Judges rap parole board over Sausalito killer's appeal: A state appeals court has reluctantly ruled against a Sausalito murderer in a dispute with the parole board, faulting the parole system for trapping the inmate in a legal Catch-22… (Read more)
	Veterans Day ceremony set for Wednesday: Marin County's official Veterans Day program will start at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Marin Center's Veterans Memorial Auditorium. (Read more)
	Bolinas man brings yoga behind bars: After James Fox led prisoners through asanas in his weekly yoga class at San Quentin, two inmates got into a brawl… (Read more)
	Court fight to protect Marin low-income home ownership program proves costly: A Marin Housing Authority program that makes it possible for low-income residents to buy homes in Marin is continuing to struggle… (Read more)
	San Rafael chamber appoints new CEO: The board of San Rafael Chamber of Commerce of Marin has appointed Rick Wells president and CEO. (Read more)

	Kaiser prohibits young children from entering hospitals to keep swine flu out: In an effort to prevent patients from being exposed to swine flu, Kaiser, in San Rafael has begun barring children age 14 and younger from entering the hospital as visitors. (Read more)
	Metallica's Hetfield, county work on Terra Linda trail deal: Marin heavy metal star James Hetfield is working with the county's Parks and Open Space District on a new trail that would skirt a monolithic fence the Metallica frontman erected on his property… (Read more)
	Bay Area's Great Balls of Fire: From the as far south as Hollister, to San Francisco, and even Marin County… (Read more)
	Popular local coffee purveyor Peet's set to open at Northgate: The popular local coffee company has a space next to Chipotle Mexican Grill. The coffee shop is under construction and set to open… (Read more)
	Default notices rising in upper echelon ZIPs: In upscale communities such as Los Altos, Greenbrae and Alamo, where median prices top $1 million… (Read more)
	Upfront: Ah, Novato...ah, Humanity! : Habitat for Humanity breaks new ground in more ways than one… (Read more)
	Local Marines to celebrate Corps' birthday Monday: Dozens of grizzled veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps will gather at San Rafael Joe's restaurant during the lunch hour Monday to… (Read more)
	Latino film festival lives on: The underpinnings can be traced back to the passions of one San Rafael woman, Sylvia Perel, the artistic director of the International Latino Film Festival and… (Read more)
	Web of foreclosure spreads in Marin: In the past decade, tragic events have befallen Dennis Temple of San Rafael much like dominoes, one after another, including a stroke, loss of loved ones and… (Read more)
	The West Marin Report: Oysters? In Hayward?! (Read more)
	Deputies, CHP find lost hikers near Fairfax: Authorities in Marin County have been busy lately looking for lost hikers… (Read more)
	Two schools work to give U.S. troops a lift: Two Marin schools collected care-package items for oversees troops… (Read more)
	HELICOPTER HELPS LOCATE TWO HIKERS WHO GOT LOST AFTER DARK: Two hikers who got lost northwest of Fairfax, near the Loma Alta area of Marin County, Saturday evening were… (Read more)
	Day of Dead celebration in San Rafael honors deceased with joy, no haunting here: Building private altars honoring the deceased is at the heart of the Day of the Dead celebration, which is celebrated in … (Read more)

	Free H1N1 flu vaccine clinics set for later this month: After coping with a short supply, more H1N1 vaccine is set to arrive in Marin, prompting public health officials to schedule a series of free clinics to get high-risk people vaccinated. (Read more)
	Suspect Arrested in Attempted Burglary of Mill Valley Home: On November 4, 2009 at about 2 PM, sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence on Laverne Avenue in Mill Valley to investigate a reported interrupted burglary. (Read more)
	Feature: Lights...camera...slow down!: San Rafael revs up the traffic tickets, but is safety the goal—or revenue? (Read more)
	Few People Speak at Hearing About Increasing Bay Area Bridge Tolls : A key transportation committee is considering raising tolls by at least $1 on the Bay Area's seven state-owned bridges next year, but the proposal doesn't seem to be generating much controversy as only five people spoke at a public hearing on the subject Wednesday. (Read more)
	Sausalito Weekend for November 6 - November 7 - November 8: All the Sausalito weekend events from the folks at OurSausalito.com (Read more)
	Welcome Home, Lefty the Chihuahua: Lange, who served as the voice stand-in for Drew Barrymore in "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," believed someone swiped the little pooch from her San Rafael back yard. (Read more)
	Sushi Ran still has region's freshest fish: For more than two decades, Sushi Ran has been the place to go for the freshest fish - and still is, despite the fact that longtime chef Haruo Komatsu now heads up Tsukiji sushi in Mill Valley. (Read more)
	Development proposal for Novato's Hanna Ranch well-received: For the first time in decades, a development proposal for the Hanna Ranch property in Novato might gain enough traction to move through the civic approval process. (Read more)
	Marin ‘carbon farming’ shows promise: Lead Marin Carbon researcher Whendee Silver, an ecosystem ecology professor at UC Berkeley, said grassland ecosystems like those found in West Marin can hold a remarkable amount of carbon in their dense root systems — more carbon than forests in some instances. (Read more)
	The West Marin Report : No more dropped calls in Stinson Beach?... (Read more)
	‘Mamas’ share their monologues: Going to church probably isn’t at the top of the list of activities for moms planning a fun Saturday night out without kids. (Read more)
	DA spanks MMWD for illegal stream diversion: The Marin Municipal Water District has been slapped with nearly $50,000 in fines and penalties for flouting state environmental regulations in a culvert project in Fairfax. (Read more)
	Oregon Is Really for the Birds : A long, strange journey for a group of sick birds came to a glorious end near Sausalito Thursday. (Read more)
	San Rafael student flips car after falling asleep: A Dominican University student escaped serious injury Thursday after falling asleep behind the wheel and driving off the freeway on her way to school, police said. (Read more)
	Editorial: Time to Take Down the Campaign Signs: We don't know our neighbors very well. (Read more)
	Weekend Events: Music and more all weekend long (Read more)
	Weekend Family Events for November 6, 7 & 8: Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our Family Events Calendar. (Read more)

	More than 10,000 Marin ballots remain uncounted: Tuesday's election is over, but workers at the Marin County Registrar of Voters' office will be counting ballots through next week. (Read more)
	Marin reelects 10 of 14 incumbents: Voters in Marin County Tuesday re-elected 10 of 14 incumbents seeking re-election to nine councils. (Read more)
	Man gets life term for sex assault on San Rafael girl: Armando Esteban Escobar was sentenced to 15 years to life by Judge Terrence Boren. Escobar will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole, but then the parole board could extend his term up to 15 years. (Read more)
	The West Marin Report: There’s Salmon in them there streams… (Read more)
	Homeward Bound throwing gala to recognize fundraising success: Homeward Bound of Marin will host a meeting of "shareholders" Saturday to recognize the success of its unusual strategy to raise money to fight homelessness. (Read more)
	NCRA, SMART release timeline for trains: Construction work is finished on the railroad tracks that will carry freight trains through Novato. Now the tracks need to be inspected, and then freight trains are expected to start rolling by March 2010. (Read more)
	Novato rock concert raises no money for schools: This year, hit by falling attendance and ticket sales, the seventh annual Rock'n Blues event failed to generate a single dime for Novato schools. (Read more)
	Circle Bank reports third quarter profit: “While we are not in the position to declare that the local economy has turned around, we are comfortable with our own growth plans.” (Read more)
	Marin pioneering new 'smart' energy highway: Field-testing has begun in Marin County for one of the nation's first "smart grid" demonstration projects that ultimately could help modernize the nation's power grid. (Read more)
	142 Throckmorton Theatre hustles in lean times: "It's not sustainable," she said. "I'm not rich. I'm just an idealist." (Read more)
	Bolinas beach camping ban gets nod: Bolinas residents Tuesday voted in favor of a ban on overnight camping on the town's beach, delivering a win for its proponents but falling short of the clear consensus that local leaders had sought on the issue. (Read more)
	Hotel eyed for Hanna Ranch: At a meeting on the night of Wednesday, Nov. 4, developers will unveil plans to build a 116-room, midscale hotel, two restaurants, a retail building and a retail building with office space upstairs on the 19-acre Hanna Ranch property just south of the Vintage Oaks shopping mall. (Read more)
	Marin City students to perform with Oakland Symphony: A group of Marin City students got the chance to perform with the Oakland Symphony this week. (Read more)
	Most long-time residents of West Marin know his story: For 22 years beginning in 1971, John Francis of Point Reyes Station refused to ride in motorized vehicles (largely as a reaction to a humongous oil spill at the Golden Gate). (Read more)
	Report: Marin, North Bay pay more for transportation/housing costs: Marin and other North Bay residents pay a lot for housing and transportation, more so than other regions in the Bay Area, according to a report Wednesday by the Urban Land Institute's Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing. (Read more)
	Mill Valley agrees to split top jobs for police and fire: In light of this month's retirement of Robert Ritter, the city's director of fire and police services for the past dozen years, the City Council on Monday approved reorganization measures to eliminate his position and replace it with police and fire chiefs. (Read more)