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Rock Slides At Yosemite Prompt Closure Of Over 200 Cabins At Curry Village

2008-11-21T12:36:11-08:00

The photo to the left illustrates the danger that officials have been warning Yosemite management about for years; rock slides. This photo (courtesy AP) was taken after a large slide on October 8, that resulted in large boulders smashing into several cabins in popular Curry Village. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in this recent slide, but since 1857, rock slides have killed 14 people and injured 62. NPS officials will now close down over 200 cabins permanently. Scientists say the rock slides off the granite face above the park are just part of the geologic process which has shaped Yosemite Valley.

Yes On 8 Lawyers Will Ask CA Supreme Court To Invalidate Same Sex Marriages That Have Already Taken Place

2008-11-21T09:13:00-08:00

On Wednesday, the California Supreme Court agreed to hear three lawsuits filed on behalf of same sex marriage supporters who want Proposition 8 overturned. One big question mark is what happens to the thousands of gay couples who had marriages performed from mid-June through November 3rd. Lawyers from Yes on 8 campaign are petitioning the court to invalidate those marriages but so far those marriages have been honored. The courts have also said no more weddings can be performed until they issue a decision.

Golden Gate Bridge District Secondhand Ferry Deal

2008-11-21T08:37:00-08:00

Like Sarah Palin, the Washington State Ferry district had trouble selling its wares on eBay. In the Washington State case, two ferries were up for sale. But there were no takers, so they mothballed the boats.

Along comes the GGB District who desperately need to expand their fleet and bingo, for $19 million ($4 million for the boats and $15 for the remodeling) you've got yourself a deal! The ferries which were built in the late 1990s, will be refurbished and updated with work planned on the engines, snackbar, restrooms and seating. The ferries were used in Washington state up until 2003, but a lack of funding resulted in the state not being able to afford operating the boats.

The GGB district was pretty excited to make the deal; originally they were only planning on buying one new ferry but it was too expensive. Ridership on the ferries is way up, and in some cases passengers are being turned away from boats that are too full. The district is targeting 2010 to have both ferries fully remodeled, but they will put one into service right away.

Spare The Air Violators Escape Being Caught

2008-11-21T07:13:00-08:00

There is someone from Mill Valley, Woodacre and possibly Novato, San Rafael and Kentfield who ignored the ban on fireplace smoke yesterday. Those were the cities that air quality officials received complaints about wood being burned. There were about 70 inspectors out and about Wednesday in the Bay Area to try and track down the violators, including Marin. But no one in Marin was actually cited.

It was the first day that Bay Area Air Quality Management District enacted the Winter Smoke Ban.

There were some complaints though, from people who worried that residents who didn't watch TV or go on computers would not be aware of the ban. Officials responded by providing a phone number that anyone can call before they decide to burn that nice log in the fireplace.

Spare The Air info at 1-800-430-1515.

Marin News Roundup

2008-11-21T06:30:00-08:00

Find out where you can press your own olive oil and read the story about the car thief who forgot to take off the emergency brake as he drove from the scene of the crime:

	Prop. 2 adversaries react to passage: Not all farmers are upset, however. Liz Cunningham of Clark Summit Farms in Tomales, who supports Prop. 2, said her small-scale operation wouldn’t be affected. (Read more)
	Cops to boost fleet with alternative-fuel vehicle: The Ross Police Department is researching the purchase of a hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle for its fleet. (Read more)

	All hail the olive harvest- McEvoy Ranch hosts community mill for smaller scale – yet passionate – olive growers: Backyard olive farmers from Lake, Napa, Marin and Sonoma counties congregate from the break of dawn… (Read more)
	Burning brake on stolen car lands Marin man in jail: A Marinwood man landed in the county jail after failing to release the emergency brake from the stolen car he was driving, thus sending off a smoky plume that attracted the attention of a passing Novato police officer, authorities said. (Read more)
	Autodesk to open Massachusetts showcase for architecture, engineering, construction: San Rafael-based Autodesk Inc. is opening a 65,000-square-foot center and showcase for its architecture, engineering and construction division in Massachusetts, the company announced yesterday. (Read more)
	Stained Glass of Marin features classes as well as art: It specializes in stained glass objects of all kinds. It’s also a studio, with classes for adults and children in how to make stained glass plates, windows, ornaments and more. (Read more)
	Mill Valley conference focuses on teen stress: n response to several teenage suicides in recent years, Mill Valley parents and educators have teamed up for an event on the pressures faced by today's youth. (Read more)

Marin Home Prices Continue To Plummet

2008-11-20T12:34:00-08:00

The median home price dropped from $857,000 a year ago to $599,750 last month- a plunge of 30% but those figures include condominium sales with an average sale price of $315,000. If the figures took only single family homes into account, the median price would be $850,000, down 13% from a year ago when the median price for a single family dwelling stood at $978,000.

The numbers of home sales jumped in the condo department as investors and bargain hunters snapped up 74 properties. Sales of condos spiked 72% from the previous year.

Get Set For Congestion Pricing On...Parking Meters???

2008-11-20T11:35:00-08:00

First we saw congestion pricing proposed for traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, but San Francisco city officials have just come up with a new twist; congestion parking meter pricing. The idea is to charge according to demand, the higher the demand for parking, the higher the cost to park. In the event of concerts or special events, parking meters could charge up to $18 per hour! But don't worry about having to fish around in your purse or pocket for all that change, parking officials are planning to retrofit the meters to accept credit cards.

California Fish Swimming To Extinction

2008-11-20T10:05:00-08:00

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.

Inmates Take On The Ivies In Chess

2008-11-20T09:27:00-08:00

Can you imagine this taking place at San Quentin with students from UC Berkeley???

Light That Log And Risk A Fine

2008-11-20T08:02:00-08:00

The first ever Winter Spare The Air day popped up yesterday around the Bay Area; it's still in effect until Noon today. The new law which was enacted over the summer, makes it illegal to light the fireplace when a Spare The Air day is announced. And enforcers from the the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAQMD) are out making sure residents obey, or risk fines that can be as costly as $2,000. The wood-burn ban was enacted in order to alleviate air pollution on certain bad air quality days. The fireplace industry isn't too happy about the bans, which air quality officials predict are likely to be put in place approximately 20 times this winter season.

The BAQMD will determine today if the Spare The Air ban will be lifted or extended another day.

Marin News Roundup

2008-11-20T06:30:00-08:00

Find out why one Marin school is refusing $100K in grant funds despite a budget crunch and what one Larkspur apartment manager is doing to clamp down on negative apartment reviews on the internet here in local news:

	SUPES APPROVE FORMATION OF AUTHORITY TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: The vote means Marin County is the first government entity in the county to join the Marin Energy Authority which will launch a clean energy program next year. (Read more)
	Spelling bee champs named: Elijah Armstrong, a fifth-grader from Manor Elementary School, took first place. (Read more)

	Larkspur apartment owner seeks to halt negative Web comments: The owner of a Larkspur Landing apartment complex is challenging Internet free-speech laws in federal court to try to stop people from posting negative comments about the complex. (Read more)
	North Bay motorists benefit from new Doyle Drive plan: A new plan for rebuilding Doyle Drive, the outdated southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge, is a welcome improvement over past proposals that would have stuck North Bay motorists with too much of the bill. (Read more)
	Lagunitas says 'no thanks' to $100,000 in state aid: The Lagunitas School District board has turned down $100,000 in state grant money, despite a budget crunch that could lead to layoffs next year. (Read more)
	An en-light-ening form of art: Schnierow works chiefly in honeycomb onyx, an amber-colored stone quarried at only one location near Park City, Utah. (Read more)
	House Raffles: Dream or Nightmare?: The proceeds from the raffle will benefit Community Action Marin a private non-profit social service agency that helps the poor and disadvantaged people in Marin County (Read more)
	Workshop will look at four trail alignments: “We have to identify how to close the gap between Pacheco Pond and the Petaluma River." (Read more)

Flying Objects Over Novato

2008-11-19T17:26:55-08:00

Several residents in Novato called 911 on Tuesday evening to report seeing "flying space debris" streaking across the night sky. Firefighters who responded couldn't find a thing, but MoreMarin thinks they probably spotted the Leonids Meteor shower which occurs annually this time of year.

CA Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Legal Challenges To Prop 8

2008-11-19T14:50:55-08:00

The CA Supreme Court agreed to consider three lawsuits that ask for Proposition 8 to be nullified. Oral arguments could begin as early as March. The court said that same sex marriages could not resume until it makes a ruling either way.

Feature!- Giving In Marin with Meals Of Marin

2008-11-19T11:45:00-08:00

Rita is lying in bed, and laughing. The 88 year-old is recounting a few funny stories of an earlier, good time. Except for the fact that you can clearly see she is bedridden, it would be hard to tell that times are not so good these days for the longtime Marin resident.

Welcome to the second installment in our series, Giving in Marin.

We have just accompanied Jeff Filmer, a volunteer driver for Meals of Marin, to Rita's house. He's brought her a hot dinner and a bagged lunch to be eaten the following day. She is Jeff's last stop on his Tiburon peninsula route and when you see the two of them interact, it's hard to decide who enjoys the meal delivery most.

"He's done so much for us, he's a friend!", she exclaims about Jeff who sits nearby with a grin on his face.

Rita is a huge fan of not only Jeff, but also of Meals of Marin, the non-profit organization which has been feeding people who have life-ending illnesses for 15 years. Their simply expressed mission- to provide nourishment, comfort, hope and dignity. MOM as it's commonly called, delivers one hot and one cold meal to their clients every single day of the year, holidays included. Rita, who has been a client of MOM for awhile, tells a favorite story-

"One Thanksgiving, a volunteer who I didn't know, dropped off my meal. I looked and I said there's no turkey! I told him I was only kidding. Well, he left and about a half hour later he brought me back a turkey dinner!"

According to Rita, the volunteers are the #1 why reason she loves MOM. The food might be a close second. She used to have her meals delivered by another organization, but said the food at MOM is so much better.

Food planning and prep at MOM, is a huge undertaking. The meals are prepared in rather cramped kitchen facilities in an industrial warehouse area in San Rafael. Chef Arturo and a group of kitchen volunteers prepare on average 200 meals each day (one dinner/one lunch) for the 100+ clients they currently serve. Dinner offerings might include teriyaki or rosemary chicken or maybe meatloaf.

Apparently the meatloaf is legendary.

According to Carola Detrick, the Executive Director and founder of MOM, the meatloaf is probably most requested menu item. Carola says clients often ask if they can have seconds with their delivery, and says-

"If you get a chance to taste our meatloaf, it is pure heaven."

One of the reasons it may be so good, is the quality of the beef. Organic, says Carola.

She says the incredible generosity of the people at Marin Farmers Market is another reason for the quality of the food. They donate their unsold produce to MOM. Whole Foods and Paradise Market are also big food contributors.

MOM also relies on the generosity of cash donors, but she says the volunteers are backbone of MOM.

"Without volunteers we couldn't do it. Period. There are a few factors that MOM is completely relying upon, and one of them is volunteers... If we had to drive every route ourselves, we wouldn't be able to do it. If we had cook every meal without volunteers, we wouldn't be able to do it."

Jeff has been a volunteer for nearly a year. He moved to Marin from the East Coast about three years ago and found something lacking-

"When we relocated, I had no connections, I was missing something." He continues, "During the holiday season last year, I was really down in the dumps. I told myself, 'This is paradise, why aren't you happy?' That evening I heard someone on the radio talking about being involved in Meals of Marin. After hearing that, I got Carola on the phone and that was that."

Jeff now volunteers three days a week for MOM and says he gets as much out of the program as his clients do. And he doesn't mince words about MOM's founder, Carola.

"Carola is an angel," he says simply.

Detrick, who was born and raised in Germany, eventually wound up living in the Bay Area. She had been running a successful leather goods business, traveling all over the world. She was also just divorced, with two small children to care for when her mother got sick.

"My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She battled it and battled it, major operations, chemo, radiation therapy and ultimately she succumbed."

It was Carola's first experience with death and it was life-changing. But not life-changing in a bad way she says, rather, her mother taught her the last final lesson- that there is more.

"I was surrounded by pure love [at her death] and it prompted me to look for something. Her death opened up a whole new world for me."

The world in 1987- at the time of her mother's death- was being rocked by a whole new disease; HIV (then called AIDS).

This new disease was rampaging through the Bay Area's gay community and Carola wanted to help. She became a volunteer for Project Open Hand which then was the only organization to provide food for men dying from HIV. For a few years, Carola delivered meals in San Francisco until she read that in the State of California the per capita rate of AIDS in Marin was second only to that of SF. Carola figured she would concentrate on the sick in her home county, except that she discovered there was no program in place.

With the support and encouragement of Project Open Hand founder, Ruth Brinker, Carola formed her own operation based in her home kitchen. She was put in contact with Hospice and they provided the names of two people who could use her help.

"I called the clients and asked so what would they like to eat? I don't know, anything you would like to cook, they said. So I did. Beef stew with noodles, and carrots and leaks and celery and a fresh green salad. I don't remember what I did for dessert...My kids helped me deliver."

Meals of Marin was born in 1993 with those first two clients. It has grown to include 13 routes, with stops from Bolinas to Novato. The program first expanded from its original mission of feeding HIV patients to include those with breast cancer, then to anyone suffering from a fatal disease. MOM maintains sustainability- not only with its volunteers, cash and food donations but from its catering business.

To run smoothly, MOM has about 150 shifts a week that need to be filled; some to cook and some to drive. It can be a challenge, as Alex Khu explains, getting enough volunteers to fill those shifts. Khu is the Volunteer Coordinator, and he recruits, schedules and manages the volunteers.

"We had less volunteer drivers [than needed] during the summer due to the cost of gas, so many of them prefer to work in the kitchen."

Still, he's gratified by the many people that do show up to volunteer.

"You get to see the individuals who truly care, who volunteer their time, car, gas. It's really overwhelming. The people here that come together to help others, that means so much to me."

Earlier on Jeff's route, we got to meet Frank. He answered the door with a smile. The self-described "former attorney, sometime judge and writer" was feeling pretty good today. He agreed to have his photo taken and then we sat and chatted for a bit in his book-filled home. Frank is also very high on the program-

"The volunteers are very up in attitude," he said, "And the food is never objectionable."

We think that says it all.

Details-

-To volunteer with Meals of Marin, contact Alex Khu at 415 457-4666. Alex also maintains Meals of Marin webblog.

-Of course, Meals of Marin gratefully accepts donations. They are also holding two upcoming fundraisers:

On November 26, if you want to de-stress from Thanksgiving preparations, then make your way down to Nystrom Chiropractic, at 712 D Street in SR. No fees will be charged, but donations made will be given to MOM.

On Monday, December 1st, the SF Gay Men's Chorus will celebrate its 30th anniversary on World AIDS Day with a concert extravaganza at Davies Symphony Hall. Funds raised will go to several charities, including Meals of Marin.

Note- The author and photographer of this article also volunteer their services for Meals of Marin, and they are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this wonderful organization.

Remembering Jonestown 30 Years Later

2008-11-19T11:01:42-08:00

Even though it was 30 years ago, a lot of us can recall the vivid details that emerged after the mass suicide of over 900 members of the People's Temple Agricultural Project in Guyana. Tuesday, people who survived the cult gathered at Oakland's Evergreen Cemetery to commemorate. The remains of unidentified Temple members, including many children, are buried there.

Never Mind Health Insurance, You Might Even Have Trouble Finding A Doctor

2008-11-19T09:18:00-08:00

Think you're frustrated with health care paperwork, HMO red tape and escalating insurance premiums? Well, the doctors share your pain.

In a recent survey conducted by the Physicians' Foundation, almost half of the nearly 12,000 primary care physicians said they would seriously consider working in a field other than health care within the coming three years!

Although there were several reasons cited for wanting to leave, a large number of doctors mentioned frustration with the red tape of HMOs and government agencies as a main reason to quit. Nine out of ten said the amount of time they spend on paperwork has risen 60% over the last couple of years. Another frustration; the shrinking amount of time spent with patients. And many said problems getting reimbursed from insurance companies was a reason they wanted to get out.

This trend does not bode well for the imminent wave of baby boomers who are aging and will be seeking more health care as medical problems arise.

Woolsey Pitches New Deal To Put America Back On Track

2008-11-19T07:37:00-08:00

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.

Marin News Roundup

2008-11-19T06:30:00-08:00

Marin bus routes may change in several towns; is yours one of them? Also, turning puppies poo into power- Click to read these local stories:

	Marin joins Proposition 8 lawsuit: The Marin Board of Supervisors is joining join San Francisco and other plaintiffs suing to bring Proposition 8 to the state Supreme Court for review. (Read more)
	The promise of poo power?: Straus Family Creamery in Marin County installed a methane digester in 2000 and uses the gas to power its plant, saving Straus thousands of dollars a month in energy bills. (Read more)

	Dominican, French university team up for ‘global’ degrees: A student working toward a degree in international business could have one semester at the home campus, take a semester in Paris, go to Beijing for a year and come back to San Rafael to complete the degree (Read more)
	State budget cuts amount to a 'massive assault' on home care: A 1991 car accident left Ralf Vaughn, 48, of Mill Valley a quadriplegic, and he depends on an in-home support services worker to feed him and attend to all his personal hygiene needs (Read more)
	The Marin County Local Coastal Program resumed on Monday at a Planning Commission workshop after being suspended for six years.: The LCP identifies the location, type, densities, and other ground rules for future development in the coastal zone. (Read more)
	Supervisors OK Lawson's Landing plan that cuts camp space by half: A master plan for Lawson's Landing at Dillon Beach that cuts camping space in half was approved Tuesday by Marin supervisors after officials eased requirements imposed by the Planning Commission. (Read more)
	Around Antioch: Animal lover puts found money to good use: Learning that the Marin County Shelter had retrieved a number of dogs from Fresno, Ruth Nicholas set out to adopt a Chihuahua. (Read more)
	Marin bus route changes considered: The changes would include routes serving Tiburon, Belvedere, Mill Valley, Novato and San Rafael, as well as Sonoma County. (Read more)

Don't Be A Turkey- Donate Some Food This Holiday Season

2008-11-18T10:23:00-08:00

We know times may be a little bit lean this Holiday season, even here in swanky Marin. But for some people it only means things are much worse than usual.

The giant turkey shown here in the Corte Madera Town Center, is a collection point for canned food and toiletries for the neediest of families here in the County. The food will be collected by the Marin Community Food Bank and then distributed in holiday baskets. This is the Town Center Turkey's 15th annual year gathering the goodies and it'll be there till the New Year.

Massage for Mares

2008-11-18T09:13:00-08:00

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-

Getting Too Few Zzzzzzzzzzzzs Increases Cancer Risk

2008-11-18T07:27:00-08:00

A new study from the National Cancer Institute involving nearly 6,000 women found that even if females reduced their cancer risk by regular exercise, those benefits were likely to be canceled if she got too little sleep. Among physically active women, those who slept less than seven hours nightly had a 47% higher risk of cancer than those who slept longer. Health officials who led the study, weren't sure how the sleep loss contributed to the higher risk of cancer, but chronic sleep loss has been associated with a myriad of other health problems including heart disease and diabetes. Turns out Mom was right...turn out the light!

Marin News Roundup

2008-11-18T06:30:00-08:00

Marin foreclosures plummet, a wider road through Samuel P.Taylor Park may mean cutting down trees and tasers in Ross? Read these and other cool local stories by clicking below:

	Ross police to purchase 10 Tasers: One of Marin's quietest and low-crime towns will soon have a police force equipped with Tasers. (Read more)
	Driver missing after flipping SUV on Hwy 101 in Marin: Authorities searched for several hours this morning for the driver of a sport utility vehicle that was found on its roof just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. (Read more)

	SoyPrint sees California dream: SoyPrint is about to release the first bio-based toner cartridges in the U.S., with a small sales footprint in Marin County but a huge potential market. (Read more)
	Drop in Marin foreclosures may be temporary, experts say: Marin's foreclosure rate has dropped by half in the past two months in part due to government restrictions, but experts say the worst may be yet to come. (Read more)
	Wider road may mean fewer trees in Samuel P. Taylor: A cracked and uneven stretch of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard that is due for a revamp has incited strong opinions from local bicyclists and environmental groups. (Read more)
	Hard Times For Fido; Pet Food Donations Sought: The Marin Humane Society is asking for pet food donations to help seniors care for their animal companions during the holiday season, a society spokeswoman said. (Read more)
	Tamalpais Bancorp applies for holding company; loss for Redwood Trust: Redwood Trust reported a $111 million loss for the third quarter of 2008, up from a $61 million loss last year at the same time. (Read more)
	Novato has high hopes for new downtown complex: A long-vacant office building at one of Novato's most prominent intersections will be demolished and replaced with a retail/office complex that city leaders hope will give downtown another destination point. (Read more)
	Paula Fava explores the elements using encaustic, wax: In a room that smells faintly of tar and honey, charred colors play across large wooden panels. This is the acrylic, encaustic and mixed media work of artist and former San Francisco firefighter Paula Fava. (Read more)

SoCal Wildfires Reminiscent Of Oakland-Berkeley Fire

2008-11-17T09:30:15-08:00

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)

Funny, It Doesn't Look Yellow

2008-11-17T08:30:00-08:00

This story is not for the squeamish.

When the Shuttle Endeavor blasted off for the International Space Station on Friday, it carried a lot of stuff in addition to seven new astronauts; a new fridge, some exercise equipment and a second toilet. But the most expensive and interesting piece in the payload is the $250 million dollar wastewater recycler that will purify the astronauts urine into drinking water.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The recycler will come in handy as the number of crew members doubles aboard the Space Station and you have the dual problem of no place to store fresh water and what to do with the waste. The recycler will process urine through a series of purification techniques; filtration, oxidation and ionization. Then a small amount of iodine will be added to prevent microbial growth.

Bottoms up!

Feature!- Anger And Hope At Anti Prop 8 Rally In San Rafael

2008-11-17T08:22:00-08:00

"We will win!"

That was the rallying cry, and overall theme by Marin residents today at a gay marriage rights rally, on San Rafael City Hall steps. It was part of a nationwide effort, Join The Impact, which called on gay rights advocates and supporters to rally against the passage of Proposition 8 in last week's election.

Click here to see the photo album and click below to see the rest of the story.

Hundreds of people, many wearing No On 8 signs and buttons mill about waiting for the speakers to begin. Homemade signs are in abundance-

"Marriage is a human right, not a heterosexual right"

"God Chose Who I Am."

"Mormon Law is now California Law!"

Nancy Flaxman and her spouse Lila McCarthy, are also waiting-

"It was devastating about this vote," Nancy says, "The California Supreme Court affirmed our rights and equality and the voters of California took that away from us."

She's not the only one angry about vote. Even though it feels festive outside in the unseasonably warm November afternoon, there is also a lot of frustration, and anger. Nancy continues-

"I just visited a lesbian in a nursing home who is 98. She and her partner have been together 70 years! How long do they have to wait for their love and commitment to be accepted?"

Sitting on the other side, are Darcy Ellsworth-Yow and her twin five year-old daughters, Lily and June. All three are holding signs, one reads, "Celebrate All Families!"

"We feel like this is the next civil rights issue," says Darcy, "We're not a gay family but basic civil rights are being taken away from our neighbors and friends. After the election I wanted to celebrate, but I was so disenheartened by this [proposition] passing." She smiles sadly.

Civil rights seems to be the rallying cry, and it's on everyone's lips. Carrie Zarraonandia and her spouse, Heidi Carman have shown up with their five children. Carrie wears a rainbow T-shirt that reads, "When do I get to vote on your marriage?" Heidi speaks out-

"Barack Obama used to sit in the back of the bus, and now he's driving that bus. And we're [gays] in the back of the bus now, and we want our rights!"

Paula Pilecki, Executive Director of Spectrum, an organization that serves the gay community and is sponsoring today's rally is busy backstage, but we grab her for a few minutes to talk-

"This is the beginning of the next wave of civil rights movement. This is a watershed moment."

Like Stonewall we ask?

"Yes, we are demanding equality that was taken away from us on November 4th which was anti-American."

We ask her if she thinks the lawsuits against Prop 8 will be successful.

"The courts are taking the lawsuits very seriously and that's a very good sign. You know, civil rights are usually won in the courtroom to overcome the tyranny of the majority. And if it isn't, then we'll take it back to the ballot box in 2010."

Speakers and musicians take the stage one by one, each delivering the same message in their unique way. One woman talks about her joy on Election night and her anger on Wednesday morning. Another recounts her wedding day and how much it meant. Civic leaders are there too, including a couple of City Council members and Marin Supervisors. MarinLocalMusic.com monitors the sound and manages the frequent set changes. Members of the religious community also take to the stage in an effort to show that not all religious followers were to blame for Prop 8.

Stacy Grossman, an Episcopal priest is standing with a few of her fellow priests. We ask how she feels about other religions that have supported Prop 8. She has a warm, calm demeaner as she responds-

"We're a progressive church and that's why we're here. We're trying to let people know that not all Christians feel this way [about supporting Prop 8]. We prefer to be in the blessing business."

By this time, there is barely any room on the sidewalk in front of the steps, and several dozen more supporters are standing across the street. Cars drive by and honk their support and each time they do, the crowd claps and cheers. A KTVU chopper hovers overhead and photographers click away.

Now it's Pilecki's turn at the microphone. She has her young daughter Gloria in her arms, as she exhorts the crowd to join in next weeks rally, this one is to take place at the State Capitol in Sacramento. She asks everyone, not just gays, but straights too to join in a communal drive from Marin to Sacramento. She wants enough cars to jam the freeway all the way to Sacramento.

The crowd cheers and just then, someone walks by carrying a sign that reads, "Love is a family value."

It certainly is.

Here's a slide show of the day's events-