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Previous Shows Features and Events
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Wednesday, May 14
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1. Marin Municipal Water District reports driest Spring on record; Managers urge Conservation Mindset, but normal water levels at reservoirs make mandatory conservation unnecessary.
2. Air Tanker Pilots hold fundraiser, golf tournament in San Geronimo. The event benefits the a trust fund program. The group is working to secure federal death benefits for families of firefighting pilots killed in action. The U.S. Department of Justice excluded tanker pilots from federal death benefits in 1980 because tanker pilots are often contract workers and are virtually uninsurable.
Tuesday, May 13
1. County Supervisors to consider new watershed program and new studies for Easkoot Creek and Inverness. The Board will also continue their review of the Big Lagoon Project Final Environmental Impact Statement.
2. 43 State Parks are set for closure to help save the state some $13 million per year. Public access, recreational, educational, Environmental Living Programs held at Indian Beach would also be closed with Tomales Bay State Park. Personnel would likely be reassigned to another one of the local park units. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will release his revised budget on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Monday, May 12
1. Home Landscaping can reduce risk of wildfire. Jennifer Chapman of the Point Reyes National Seashore discusses a workshop to be held tonight at the PR Dance Palace.
2. Long-range planning now underway for transportation projects: Metropolitan Transoportation Commission is updating its transportation plan for the nine-county Bay Area known as "Transportation 2035: Change in Motion."
Friday, May 9
1. Light brown apple moth found in the city of Sonoma. The state of California responded by establishing a 15-square-mile quarantine Monday, the latest in a series of similar actions against a the exotic pest. Vinyard owners were the subject this time, along with other nurseries inside the 15 mile radius - businesses will undergo inspections and treatments.
Senator Migden commended the Sonoma City Council for voting 4-1 last night to oppose the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture’s plan to spray the greater Bay Area in an attempt to eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth. The City of Sonoma became the first Sonoma County local government to pass a no-spray resolution.
2. Marin County may place a new tax proposal on the November ballot: that quarter-cent sales tax would amass some $10 million per year for County parks and open space. Funds would be used for maintanence projects, acquiring open space, preserving farmland and wildland fire protection.
But Supervisors proposing the tax and a key environmental group seem set for ideological clash on the matter: Local Sierra Club head Gordon Bennett say he personally opposes the tax, "if supervisors don't support the Point Reyes National Seashore's restoration efforts." at Drakes Estero.
Thursday, May 8
1. Water conservation measures are under consideration this week in Sonoma County, where the Water Agency will likely increased costs for customers: North Marin Water District is among those groups.
A hand full of other water agencies depend on water drawn from the Russian River. That water is likely to be restricted as water scarcity has been looming since last year, in spite of what districts call adequate rainfalls.
2. The County of Marin says cleanup costs in the aftermath of the Cosco Busan oils spill totaled $600,000. The bill was issued to Regal Stone ltd., the parent company responsible for the vessel. This week, County supervisors recieved a grant from the state department of fish and game for training and equipment to protect bolinas lagoon from the oil spills.
3. Also Tuesday, County supervisors reviewed proposed changes to the Septic System Code and regulations associated with technical advances in the field of onsite wastewater disposal.
4. Supervisors also reviewed a land purchas agreement transfering 117 acres of ridgline adjascent to the French Ranch Open Space Preserve.
Wednesday, May 7
Immigration Dialogue at West Marin School held Tuesday: Immigration Enforcement actions on year ago resulted in numerous arrests, confusion and outrage. Those actions continue throughout the State, and here in Marin. Advocates say the canal area of san rafael is the main focus of recent raids.
Federal raids of immigrant communities around the Bay Area took place after May first labor demonsrations. Immigration and Customes enforcement (or ICE) agents arrested 63 people -- workers associated with 11 restaurants.
Tuesday, May 6
1. Emergency officials responded to an injury accident north of Bodega Bay, Sunday at Schoolhouse Beach.
2. The Stinson Beach Village Association met over the weekend to review survey results in an update of the town's general plan. As the new plan develops it will offer the VA a set of priorities to push for the coming years. Survey results were presented Saturday, highlight the towns resources, demographics, strengths and weaknesses.
That project is headed up by UC Berkeley professor, Dr. David Dowall, an expert in development policy, land economics, and he's the head of Cal's Institute of Urban and Regional Development.
Monday, May 5
1. Salmon fishery failure declaration opens door for relief funds.
2. Petaluma man arrested in Dillon Beach rape allegation.
3. Experts say probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake over the next 30 years striking the San Francisco Bay Area is 63%.
For northern California the most likely source of such earthquakes is the Hayward-Rodgers Creek Fault (31% in the next 30 years). READ THE FULL REPORT.
The Northern California Geological Society will be visiting the Point Reyes National Seashore this weekend after visiting Point Lobos State Park south of Monterey. Kathleen burnham is the researcher leading the trip. She says, though the parks are separated by a great distance, they are closely related.
Friday, May 2
1. As school graduations approach, student success was on the minds of latino parents meeting last night at Tomales High School.
Counselor at the schools Steffan O'Neil heads a group focussed on English language acquisition, an avenue of suport for spanish speakers, bilingual students and parents at the school. These are regluar meetings to plan events and address parent concerns, but last night the group heard a presentation from Dr. Marisol Munos, a clinical psychologist specializing in child development, families and parenting for latinos.
Thursday, May 1
1. Two pieces of land lying just outside the National Seashore are priority purchases for the National Park Service.
The National Parks Conservation Association is prepared to allot more than $6 million towards the acquisitions to prevent development in the area. That money would come through Congress from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): established with a series of fees from companies conducting offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S..
2. The Governor of California made emergency budget adjustments after declaring a fiscal emergency in January, but his estimate of the projected budget deficit has increased substantially. ^th District Assenblyman Jared Huffman says updated figures won't be out until mid month, he's concerned that an impass, and deep cuts to State programs seem inevitable, and may be worse than initially expected.
Wednesday, April 30
1. Tax Board reports Marin County still has the highest median income: $116,626 for 2006 joint tax returns.
2. Water rate increases considered at IPUD and MMWD.
3. The Bolinas-Stinson Union School District Board met in regular session yesterday to consider a contentious personnel evaluation.
4. Seaflow Director Robert Ovetz, Ph.D. to lead a Vessel Watch program, monitoring ocean noise and shipping traffic through Marine Sancuaries.
Tuesday, April 29
The County Planning Commission met yesterday in regular session to consider proposed changes a the Redwood Landfill. Commissioners are looking to finalize environmental study of improvement plans that critics say would extend environmental impacts.
Monday, April 28
1. Inverness Association Directors concerned about deer eradication at Nat. Seashore.
2. The Marin Conservation League held their annual awards ceremony over the weekend, honoring the contributions of area Environmental Champions. Among the winners at this 74th Annual event were The Marin Farmers Market, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN), and The Sustainability Team of Marin County’s Community Development Agency.
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