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California Fish Swimming To Extinction

KGO's Wayne Freedman filed this report on the serious situation with California's native salmon and trout, and the efforts of environmental officials to try and stem what they say is a path to extinction.  According to one expert, ninety-five of California streams that once had the Coho salmon, don't have it anymore.  Global warming and man's impact have combined to decimate fish populations and a U.C. Davis study predicts extinction by the end of the century, if not sooner.  Marin has a success story with Lagunitas Creek according to this internet video report filed by Freedman.

Woolsey Pitches New Deal To Put America Back On Track

Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey has called for the creation of a New Deal-like proposal that would spend billions of dollars and hire millions of workers to fix America's decaying infrastructure.  Woolsey, speaking Tuesday at a forum hosted by the Institute for America's Future, said-

"What America needs, and needs as quickly as we can deliver it, is a commitment to funding our domestic priorities with a bold infusion of resources.  The most obvious domestic need is our crumbling infrastructure."

She also noted that investments could also be used to further develop the eco/green industry movement, which would also produce jobs.

According to the Institute for America's Future, spending on infrastructure has been halved in recent years and the resultant massive problems will require the staggering sum of $1.6 trillion over the next several years to fix.

Massage for Mares

Rebecca Thomas describes her occupation as "Equine Body Work," but that's just a fancy name for horse massage.   She's a horse body worker who uses massage as a way to relieve the stress of horses who are kept in captivity, and she's got clients from Oakland to Glen Ellen.  Doesn't Thomas sound like she belongs in Marin?  Here's the internet video-

    

SoCal Wildfires Reminiscent Of Oakland-Berkeley Fire

Nine hundred and eighty of them, everything from mobile homes to mansions, went up in flames this past weekend, in the raging wildfires in Southern California.  We had our own terrible wildfires at the beginning of the 'fire season', but we seem to have escaped the usual autumn scorchers. We put the 'fire season' in quotes because the season in California seems to be year round these days. 

The speed and spread of the fires of this past weekend, is eerily reminiscent of the horrible 1991 Oakland Hills conflagration that consumed nearly 3,000 homes and apartments and remains one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history.   Aside from numbers of structures lost, the main difference is in human life.  25 people died in the 1991 fire, but so far, no fatalities have been reported in the Tea, the Sayre and the Freeway Complex fires in Southern California.  (Photo courtesy of HuffPost)

Marin Firefighters Join Montecito Fire Battle

The "Tea" fire in Montecito has burned its way to Santa Barbara and consumed over 100 homes.  With flames reaching over 150 feet, the massive wildfire has prompted Governor Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County.  By Friday evening, there were 1,141 fire personnel battling the blaze, including 15 fire engines and nearly 50 firefighters from Marin.

The fire began on Thursday evening at a closed and historic cafe, called the Tea House, giving the fire its name. Hot, dry wind gusts of up to 90 mph whipped the fire into a conflagration that has as of now, burned 1,800 acres.  Officials say the cause is still under investigation.  Here's an internet video report from AP-

    

Get Ready For Some Hot, Hot, Hot

Get ready for very warm weekend.  That's the word from forecasters who say temps will be about 10 to 20 degrees above normal for this time of year.  We may even hit the mid-80s here in Marin, and temps won't expect to be back to more appropriate fall weather until next Tuesday!  With temps going up,  MoreMarin wonders what will happen to these...

If The Birds Bother You Than Just Shoot 'Em!

That's apparently what some East Bay residents want to do. 

Seems a bunch of acorn woodpeckers are opting to bury their nuts in the sides of homes rather than in the trunks of trees, and that has the residents at the Rossmoor retirement community peeved.  They've tried all manner of tricks to get rid of the birds, including noisemakers, but to no avail, so they're threatening to actually shoot as many as 50 of the birds, within a week! 

Normally it would be illegal to shoot woodpeckers, but these geriatric gunslingers were able to obtain a yearlong permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Shake, Rattle & Rolling In Southern California

Students dove under desks, paramedics rescued the injured and people everywhere experienced the Big One.  Well, it was the 'pretend Big One' as Southern California schoolchildren, office workers, city officials and emergency and medical personnel all participated in a gigantic practice quake drill dubbed the Big Shakeout.  One building simulator actually shook as if a quake of 7.8 magnitude had just hit.  Here in Marin, we've got GetReadyMarin.org to help us get ready for impending disaster.  Check out the action in this AP video report-

    

Carpool Lane Opens On 101...At Least In One Direction

Commuters going South Bound this morning got some long overdue relief in the morning rush. Caltrans opened a mile-long carpool lane stretching from Central San Rafael to the 101/580 interchange.  As this ABCVideo shows, traffic was moving smoothly, although it was probably really early.  We're sure commuters are looking forward to January when both South Bound and North Bound continuous carpool lanes will be up and running.

New York Times Front Page Trumpets End Of Iraq War And Bush Indictment

Well, it was a joke but this was the New York Times front page a lot of New Yorkers woke up to on Wednesday morning.  It was a remarkably realistic looking knock-off with headlines like "Iraq War Ends- Troops To Return Immediately", "All Public Universities To Be Free", and "Labor Dept. Launches Job Creation Program."  Were that it were true...

Poor Ugly Gus

Gus, winner of the World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair this past summer, has died of cancer.  The three-legged, one-eyed Chinese Crested from Florida was awarded the dubious honor after being rescued from an abusive household.  The tiny pup lost his eye after a cat fight and his leg after a skin tumor.  Now he's lost the final battle.

(photo courtesy of Press Democrat)

Rodent Control Using Owls

In the category of very cool, is the Hungry Owl Project.  Based in San Rafael, the organization builds and installs owl boxes in wineries, farms and backyards to control the rat population.  Apparently a family of owls can eat up to 20 rats in a single night making them tops in natural pest control.  Students at San Rafael High School helped build the wooden boxes in shop class.  Owls don't build nests, opting to hang out in barns, dead trees and abandoned nests so the owl boxes come in handy when there are no shelter structures already in place.  The Marin IJ has the complete feature story...  (photo courtesy of Hungry Owl Project website)

Feature!- Intuitive Animal Training In Marin

By Margaret Petrie-

Many of us have chuckled at the Gary Larson cartoon of a man wordily reprimanding his dog and the dog only hearing "Blah, Blah, Blah."  But there are millions of people who would beg to differ.

(Cartoon courtesy of Gary Larson, click it to enlarge)

Doyle Drive Replacement Deal Hammered Out

Doyle Drive, the infamous mile-and-a-half long approach to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, is in dire need of replacement.  The crumbling structure, built in 1936, has a Federal Structural Integrity rating of just 2 out of a possible 100.  It is not earthquake-proof and has no road shoulders or median divide.  Although state and federal funds will make up the vast majority of the cost, the Bay Area is on the hook to come up with its portion of the $1 billion dollar total reconstruction cost.

Now there appears to be a plan.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) officials say they have come up with a finance structure that they believe will work.  $80 million dollars will come from the MTC through toll revenues from seven Bay Area bridges and another $80 million from the Golden Gate Bridge District (GGBD).  At this point, GGBD officials aren't sure how they will fund their portion but they have several options available, including higher tolls on the GGBridge.

If the plan is approved, construction would begin in 2010. 

Another Reason It's Good To Live In Marin

We just stumbled upon this AP Video...remember folks, it's not even Thanksgiving yet-

    

Long Awaited Rain Made It's Debut

The rainy weekend may signal the beginning of our wet season and it's not a moment too soon for the trout and salmon in Marin streams, as this KRON4 video report shows.

    

Weather Woes For Halloween

Stormy weather will likely rain on your Halloween parade as the first official storm of the season blows into the Bay Area.  It's predicted to fall on and off all day today, and tomorrow.  Then on Sunday, we're supposed to get a break, but still a possibility of another shower or two. 

Let's hope that the rain patterns return to normal for the next several  months.  The LA Times says if we continue in a drought, water shortages could lead to rationing.  Last spring was the driest in California history since the dust bowl 20s, and it depleted reservoirs, which are at their lowest level since 1977, the year of another severe drought.

Better Bring An Umbrella And Jacket On Halloween...Just In Case

Listen up witches, better bring an umbrella instead of a broom when you trick-or-treat this Friday.  Forecasters are predicting a cold and wet Halloween as a cold front from Alaska moves into the region.  In fact, the weekend looks pretty scary too, rain on Saturday and possibly on Sunday. 

And while we're on the subject of Halloween, costume purveyors are reporting  the top costumes this year are political, natch.  Obama and McCain masks are sold out; the only ones left are Hillary Clinton.  But unfortunately the top choice for costumes, Sarah Palin, was nominated too late for costume makers to churn out the rubber mask so those costumes are the do-it-yourself variety.

Zeppelin Tours In The Bay Area...And We Don't Mean Led

If you've got a spare $500 to burn in your pocket- bad economy be damned- get yourself down to Moffett Field in Mountain View for a neato ride in the newest airship to come to the Bay Area.  We're talking about the Airship Venture's Zeppelin which is open for business.  The Zeppelin will take you for a ride over the Bay Area to such wonders as the Wine Country, the GG Bridge and SF and the Big Sur coastline.  And you'll be happy to know that this modern version of the floating blimp uses helium, not the flammable hydrogen that caused the Hindenburg disaster in NJ.  KRON4 has a video report-
(photo courtesy of Airship Ventures website)

    

Sick Sea Lions Being Brought To Sausalito Center

Nearly a hundred ill California sea lions have been brought into the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands suffering from a bacterial infection of the kidneys; leptospirosis.  The infection occurs in cycles in sea lion populations, usually every 4-5 years, and this year appears to be one of the cycles.  NOAA, UC of Davis and Penn State University officials are all looking at potential causes of the disease which causes severe dehydration, kidney damage and death. (Photo courtesy Marine Mammal Center)  KRON4 reports-

    

Coyote Danger To Pets In Marin

A number of house cats have disappeared in Woodacre over the past few months and officials suspect coyotes.  Coyotes are a particular problem in West Marin, the Headlands and urban areas in Marin, and even San Francisco.

Where Are All The Honey Bees?

Imagine walking into the local grocery store and finding only processed food.  There is no fresh fruit, no vegetables, no nuts, almost no meat or milk.  Are you thinking this might be a market in some poverty-stricken Third World Country? 

Think again.

This grim scenario would happen right here in the U.S., if we had no honeybees.  And honeybees have been disappearing here, at an alarming rate.

That's One Huge Pumpkin...All 1,528 Pounds!

It was pumped up pumpkin power at the annual Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Contest yesterday!  An Oregon guy showed up with a massive mound grown from the seed of his winning pumpkin from last year.  He won again, this one weighing a ginormous one thousand five hundred twenty-eight pounds!  Here's a video of the event from AP-

    

Fire On Angel Island Burns Nearly 400 Acres Without Loss Of Life or Property

As of late last night, the wildfire on Angel Island was 90% contained.  It scorched 380 acres and the eastern side of the 740-acre State park sustained the most damage.  Forty people who had been camping on the island, were evacuated. There were no deaths, injuries or damaged structures. (Photo courtesy AP)

Ferry service to the island is suspended for now.

Almost 400 firefighters fought to bring the blaze under control. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Several Marin firefighting companies contributed to the efforts including the Tiburon, Mill Valley, Larkspur, San Rafael and Marinwood fire departments, the Southern Marin Fire District, CalFire Dept of Forestry and the Coast Guard. 

MoreMarin thanks our firefighters for such a great job getting this fire contained so quickly.

Choppers Fighting Angel Island Fire

Helicopters are now actively fighting the Angel Island hilltop fire.  The City of Tiburon has just been declared a State of Emergency for their city.  Do not drive into Tiburon.  Here are a few photos-

Good News...Fuel Prices Sink

Looks like the economic meltdown has had one nice benefit; lower gas prices.  They appear to have fallen about 35 cents on average, according to the Lundberg Survey which was released yesterday. The price of crude oil has plunged to $78 from summertime highs of nearly $150 a barrel. 

If you want to find the lowest gas price in your neighborhood, check here.

Angel Island Hilltop On Fire

A brushfire which began Sunday night on Angel Island, is only 20% contained as of this morning.  The fire has burned about 250 acres and was apparently wind-driven.  Flames could be seen throughout the Bay Area Sunday evening.

Eight fire engines were transported by barge to the Island, and about 200 firefighters from both Marin County and San Francisco are working to battle the burn.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.  The Marin IJ has some raw video here.

(photo courtesy SF Chronicle)

Mexican Drug Cartels Fouling Our National Parks

Mexican drug cartels are clearing out vast areas in National Parks and using large amounts of toxic pesticides and fertilizers to grow hundreds of thousands of illegal pot plants.  It's a national disgrace which has been going on since 1998, and recently, has been getting much worse.

Fleet Week Streaking Into The Bay Area

The Blue Angels were streaking across the skies over the Bay yesterday, practicing for upcoming shows as part of the annual Fleet Week festivities in SF.  Thousands are expected to gather at the SF waterfront to the Golden Gate Bridge to watch the parade of tall ships and air shows over the weekend.  Here's a bit of their practice runs yesterday-

    

Dogs And Cats Make The Grade; Turtles, Hamsters And Lizards Do Not

Pediatricians have put the kabosh on 'non-traditional' pets.  They say owning so-called exotic pets like hedgehogs and iguanas as well as more common pets like turtles, chicks and hamsters can be dangerous, especially to kids under 5.

The American Academy of Pediatrics just released a study that spelled out the dangers.  Salmonella- which causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever and nausea- has been found in chicks, hamsters, lizards and turtles.  The researchers believe that 11% of salmonella infection can be traced to these pets. 

Hedgehogs can prick skin with their quills, making the child susceptible to fevers, stomach pain and rash.

The study pointed out the particular danger of younger children and exotics, because the very young tend to put their hands in their mouth after handling the pets. 

Looks like the Fido is man's best friend after all.  (And Fluffy too...!)

Green Commerce Is One Bright Spot In Down Economy

Retail biz is down and fuel and food prices are up.  Stocks keep tanking and unemployment has just hit a seven year high.  But there is one bright spot in the U.S. economy- green.  Green business is booming.  Take a look at this KRON4 report on one line of work that is virtually, sunny.

    

Wait...Can It Really Be...Rain???

We haven't felt the wet stuff since way back in March, but forecasters are predicting rain for the Bay Area.  We should begin to get a good soaking on Friday into Saturday.  Then it's back to warmer weather through next week. 

Don't Be Fooled By Cooler Weather- Fire Danger Still Exists

Late September and early October have been very bad fire-wise for the Golden State.  Just because we had a terrible, early start to the fire season doesn't mean we're in the clear.  Fire officials like to remind us that some of the worst fires occurred in October-

*October 20, 1991 - The Oakland Hills Fire with 1,500 acres burned, nearly 3,000 structures destroyed and 25 lives lost.

*October 3, 1995 - The Vision Fire in Marin.  12,000 acres burned and 48 structures destroyed.
*October 21, 2003 - Southern California fires rage burning 750,000 acres, killing 24 people and destroying over 3,700 homes and structures.

The recent tussle over the removal of Eucalyptus trees in Tamalpais Valley reminds us about the danger that exists here in our backyards.  The National Park Service and the Marin County Fire Department are going to remove trees that they say present a clear fire hazard to residents and wildlife alike.  Some folks in the neighborhood are afraid the trees will be clear-cut and not replaced with other trees or landscaping.  But as this Marin IJ editorial points out, to do nothing is playing with fire.  The trees are notorious for lighting up like matchsticks during a firestorm, and they were a large contributing factor to the Oakland Hills fire in 1991.

(fire photo courtesy of David McNew Getty Images)

Drilling Off California Coast Not A Sure Thing

Despite Congress lifting the drilling ban last week, most experts feel that drilling is unlikely to happen in a very long time, if ever.  Strong political and environmental opposition and a host of coastal protection measures already in place, would make it very difficult to open the area- especially between Hearst Castle and Bodega Bay- to drilling.  Governor Schwarzenegger says he will fight hard to protect the California coastline, something he called an international treasure. 

There are currently about 30 oil drilling platforms off the coast of Santa Barbara and Long Beach, but no new platforms have been built since the late 1950s.  Environmentalists fear oil spills like this one in 1969 that occurred off Santa Barbara.  Thousands of seabirds died and oil glopped onto miles of coastline and beaches.  The spill galvanized the marine environmental movement into bringing greater awareness of the potential ecological threat that can occur from offshore drilling.

The Gov Goes Green

Actually Governor Schwarzenegger who has long been at odds with his own political party on ecological and environmental stances, just announced plans for a global warming conference here in November.  Governors of all fifty states would be invited, as well as lawmakers and executives from China, Europe and other countries around the globe.  Schwarzenegger, making his announcement at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, said real action for new ideas exists on the local level rather than with the Feds.   The summit will be scheduled for November 18-19 in Los Angeles.  Here is a KRON4 report-

    

Asteroid Catastrophe Just Waiting To Happen

Never mind the failing economy, skyrocketing food and fuel prices, the greenhouse effect and Sarah Palin, now we've got asteroid impacts to worry about!  A panel of scientists and astronauts converged in San Francisco to warn the world about the globally disastrous potential of asteroids that will impact earth; possibly in our lifetime. 

Kiss The Offshore Drilling Ban Goodbye

Is this what we get to view off our coast anytime soon?

The moratorium on off-shore drilling off the coasts of the Eastern seaboard and Pacific coast was to expire next week, and Democrats just agreed to allow the ban to expire rather than fight to keep it in a stopgap spending bill.

Earlier this month, the Democrats tried to push a bill that would have limited drilling to 50 miles offshore but they abandoned that after it met with strong opposition from Republicans and a promised veto from the White House. 

Keeping the ban in place was a particularly hard sell, especially after gas prices soared this summer and public opinion began to shift in favor of drilling.  Even so, energy experts say drilling off U.S. shores won't help ease gas prices in the foreseeable future anyway.  In a USA Today article, the Department of Energy was quoted as saying that the drilled oil won't get here anytime soon, and that impact on oil prices would be "insignificant." 

So why drill? 

The Department of the Interior claims there are 18 billion barrels of recoverable oil in those waters, previously unavailable to U.S. oil companies.

The problem is, those oil companies aren't likely to sell the oil to us at bargain basement prices just because the U.S. is experiencing a little energy crisis.  Just like in the marketplace, they'll want top dollar just like anyone else. 

The good news- if there is any in all of this- is the next administration will get to decide on the drilling particulars, and also whether or not to even drill at all.

(Photos courtesy of USA Today & Boston Globe)

Try Sleeping With A Bouquet Of Flowers Near Your Bed If You Want Sweet Dreams

Ok, the study was small; only 15 women.  But German researchers were excited to find that smells- bad and good- affected the women's emotional states while sleeping.  While the study subjects slept, researches released scents under their noses while they slept, and then awoke the women.  Apparently there was a correlation between good smells and happy dreams, and bad smells and bad dreams.  Who knew that blossoms in the boudoir equal bliss in the bed.

Judge Says NO WAY To No Contest Plea From Oil Spill Vessel Owners

A federal judge rejected a no contest plea for felony charges issued in the Cosco Busan oil spill case.  The ship's owner, Fleet Management, had asked the judge to allow them to plead no contest but prosecutors said that would be wrong because it would mean the company would not be responsible for criminal acts associated with the spill.  According to federal attorneys, "An accident waiting to happen is not  an accident."  The eventual fines could amount to more than $3 million.
(Photo courtesy of KTVU) 

Mill Valley Under Water???

The Bay Conservation and Development Commission's deputy director presented a study on climate change effects on the San Francisco Bay, and what he showed happening in Marin County, isn't pretty.    (photo courtesy of Marinscope Newspapers)

Berkeley Tree Sitters Say Being In The Trees Was Like Camping, "Only Higher"

One of the four Berkeley tree-sitters who were the final activists to remain, and then come down from their perch, spoke about their experiences.  Ernest Trevino Pena, 18 years-old, said they read philosophy, practiced yoga and even played tag around their wooden platforms 80 feet above the ground.  He also said they tried to stay positive while aloft, even though in the end the trees came down before the nearly two year old protest ended on September 9th.  Pena joined two other tree -sitters at a news conference yesterday.  The fourth tree sitter, Michael Shuck aka "Shem", remains in Alameda County jail.

Prosecution Says Thanks, But No Thanks To Cosco Busan Owner

The owners of the Cosco Busan- the ship that crashed into the Bay Bridge and spilled 50,000 gallons of fuel oil into the Bay- want to plead no contest to criminal charges that resulted from the disastrous incident last year.  But the feds say no way, alleging the owners, Fleet Management, are trying to distance themselves from blame.  A no contest plea means the defendant accepts liability but not guilt.  Prosecutors say crew was not trained properly and that the spill was "an accident waiting to happen."   

Possible Battle Looming For The National Park Service In Tamalpais Valley

Eucalyptus trees are ubiquitous in the Bay Area, and Marin County is no exception.  The non-native trees, which can grow to towering heights, are also extreme fire hazards.  They can ignite like matchsticks due to the natural oils within the tree, and were a significant contributing factor to the spread of the Oakland Hills Firestorm of 1991 that destroyed 3,000 homes and claimed 25 lives.  Now the National Park Service wants to remove a large area of mature "eucs" from an area along Highway 1 in Tamalpais Valley, and the residents there aren't too thrilled with the idea- KRON4 reports.      

The Hot Color For Home This Fall Is... Cool Blue

We'd like to introduce our newest columnist, Megan Richcreek!  Megan is recent U.C. Davis graduate and lifelong Marin resident.  She'll be covering fashion, food and film among other things, and we're delighted to have a fresh voice on MoreMarin. 

If you're looking for a way to update a room this fall, Megan has the scoop on the latest color trends to hit the home design market, in her article in MoreShelter.

Oyster Farm Fight- Aw Shucks...Can't We Just All Get Along?

You'd think being around all those oysters would make Kevin Lunny a lover, not a fighter.  But these days, the Drakes Bay Oyster Company owner is all about the fight.  Lunny, who's oyster career began when he purchased the West Marin business from the Johnson Oyster Company back in 2005, is currently in a pitched battle with the National Park Service in order to remain in business.

Mexican Drug Cartels Growing Huge Amounts Of Pot In U.S. National Parks

Apparently upwards of 75 to 80% of Mexican drug cartel marijuana is grown in national parks and public land here in the U.S.  The Drug Enforcement Administration said they seized 4.8 million pot plants in 2006 alone.  It's staggering, and scary.  Several plots of pot were discovered within walking distance of public beaches and campgrounds, putting those park-goers at risk.  In addition, the illegal growers cause a myriad of problems including poaching fish and deer, cutting down trees and leaving loads of trash.  The Park rangers, who have had to weather budget cuts, are ill-equipped to deal with the problem effectively.  Some officials believe tighter border controls have caused the cartels to resort to living and growing here, rather than try and smuggle it in.

EPA To Fine Novato Pharmaceutical Company For Industrial Waste

The Novato Advance, which just announced their final publication, broke the story of the day yesterday.  BioMarin, based in Novato, has been fined $119,717 and an additional $50,000 by the Environmental Protection Agency, for violating the Clean Water Act on several occasions by dumping highly acidic water into the sewer system which then discharges into the tidal flats of San Pablo Bay.  The extra $50k fine is to help clean up and restore Novato creek.  The EPA inspected BioMarin in May of 2007, and found the company violated standards on 62 separate days from 2004 through 2007.  BioMarin produces enzyme products used to treat diseases and other medical conditions.

Geese Doo Doo Causing Problems In Stafford Lake

The ubiquitous Canada geese found all over Marin County, is causing some real issues at Stafford Lake in Novato.  As KRON4 reports, the runoff from the feces is creating huge algae blooms in the water, which is used by up to a quarter of the unlucky folks in Novato.