Heard lots of reports that a very low PG&E helicopter with a video camera was circling over Inverness and Point Reyes this morning which seems strange for a Sunday, (Thx LN)

Biologist finds ancient mammoth molar on on shores of Tomales Bay. "This theory of a "California Serengeti," is supported by numerous mammoth remains already discovered at various places around the county. They include sites in Santa Rosa, Glen Ellen, Valley Ford, Graton, and on the Estero de San Antonio near Bodega Bay, as well as in Bodega Bay itself, where a mammoth tusk and lower jaw with an attached tooth were found near Bodega Head in 1972." FULL STORY: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/...

Jut heard a report that stoplights are out in San Anselmo and traffic is a nightmare. Plan accordingly. (Thx SP)

"UPDATE: PG&E crews are staged in Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Southern Marin Counties. PG&E crews are waiting for an "all clear" based off of weather conditions to start inspections (prior to the restoration process). Inspections could take quite some time. We'll keep you updated." LINK: https://twitter.com/ilike_mike...

Here is the full article and video of local rancher Kevin Lunny's visit with the President which made it into the national press cycle today. "The president didn't fail to bring up the ongoing impeachment inquiry, which his administration has been vehemently resisting. 'No American should ever face such persecution from their own government "” except perhaps your president," Trump joked before turning toward Lunny. "Don't feel bad, Kevin. They treated you better than they treat me. I do believe that's true.'" LINK: https://www.marinij.com/2019/1...

Politico reporter Carla Marinucci on Kevin Lunny's visit with the President today: "This may be the rare case where many Marin Co. residents agree w @RealDonaldTrump -- who today at WHouse highlighted case of the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. Owner Kevin Lunny had to destroy 20 mil oysters & close his popular business b/c Dept. of Interior refused to renew its permit." LINK: https://twitter.com/cmarinucci...

"The Marin Municipal Water District is asking all customers to conserve water and to have a stored supply for their families during PG&E's ongoing Public Safety Power Shutoff. The water district is asking all customers not to use water for irrigation or other outdoor uses, and to reduce their indoor water use.

Customers should store at least a three-day emergency supply of water of two gallons per person, per day. Remember to include extra water for those with special needs and for pets. PG&E estimated Wednesday that power shutoffs could last up to six days.

The Marin Municipal Water District has taken precautions to prepare for the PG&E power shutoff and has installed backup generators at water treatment plants to continue to provide water from its reservoirs.

The water district has also prepared a fleet of generators that are being placed at pump stations throughout Marin as needed to keep water tanks full and to ensure service is not impacted. Conserving water during emergencies such as power outages is critical to ease the demand on backup generators and ensure we have an adequate water supply for firefighting, drinking water and other essential needs."

I'm getting updates from the NYTimes about power outages right now. That's where we're at. "Second round of outages planned for the Bay Area was delayed." LINK: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/1...

From Marin Public Works: "REMINDER! Sir Francis Drake Blvd in Pt Reyes National Seashore. Wed 10/9: One lane of traffic open during work. Thurs 10/10: SFD closed to traffic 7am-7pm; no access on SFD beyond Pierce Pt Rd."

Here is the current outage map for West Marin according to PG&E. Power is still on in Inverness Park but is out in parts of Marin like Marin City and Sausalito. Very few updates available beyond that at this time.

CRITICAL UPDATE: Power Outages in Marin - PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff

At 2:45pm today, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) notified the County that it will conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) tomorrow in response to high temperatures, Red Flag conditions and high winds. This planned power shutoff will occur in/near areas of Bolinas, Fairfax, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Olema, Sausalito, and Stinson Beach by 4:00am Wednesday morning. The duration of the outage is unknown and will be determined by PG&E.

The decision to turn off the power and the speed at which it is restored is managed solely by PG&E. All questions regarding PSPS events and extended outages should be directed to PG&E via pge.com/pspsupdates or and (866) 743-6589.

Please only call 9-1-1 if you are experiencing a medical or life-threatening emergency.

For other, non-emergency questions related to available services in areas experiencing an extended outage, please call 2-1-1.

Public safety is our No. 1 priority, and we will focus our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our residents "“ especially those with access and functional needs whose health could be impacted by the loss of power. Seniors and vulnerable populations who may be adversely affected by an extended outage can contact Marin Health and Human Service's resource line at (415) 457-INFO to access available resources. Fire agencies in Marin have increased staffing resources during the heightened threat. The Marin County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services is putting into motion its Electrical System De-energization Response Plan. Additionally, it has partially activated its Emergency Operations Center and is coordinating with nearby response partners in monitoring the power situation.

Emergency Management officials remind residents and visitors that it is important to have a plan to adjust daily routines to one without PG&E power. FEMA recommends the following steps:

STAY INFORMED
"¢ Sign up to receive safety information on Nixle by texting your ZIP code to 888-777.
"¢ Sign up for AlertMarin notifications to receive information on immediate threats to personal safety or property, tailored to an address of your choosing.
"¢ Watch for wireless emergency alerts if evacuations are ordered, intended to reach all cell phones in the area.
"¢ Sign-up for PSPS Zip Code Alerts by texting ENROLL to 97633 or by calling 1-877-9000-PGE.
"¢ Update contact information with PG&E at www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts or by calling 1-866-743-6589.

REVIEW PLANS
"¢ Identify several evacuation routes for your location in case roads are blocked. Tell someone out of the area which routes you plan to use.
"¢ Keep vehicles fueled and ready in case of an evacuation.
"¢ Make a list of what you'll want to take with you if you leave your home quickly. Consider the Five P's of Evacuation: People/Pets; Prescriptions; Papers; Personal Needs; Priceless Items.
"¢ Talk to a medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Take stock of batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs when the power goes out.
"¢ Take inventory of available supplies such as food, water, clothing, and flashlight batteries.
"¢ Have some cash available in case retail point-of-sale devices are unable to accept credit cards during an outage.
"¢ Check thermometers in refrigerators and freezers during an outage. Dispose of perishable food if the appliance temperature reaches 40 degrees or higher for an extended period.
"¢ Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged.
"¢ Know how to manually open electric garage doors and gates.
"¢ For more information, including what to do during a power outage, visit www.readymarin.org and www.ready.gov

Lesson learned from past fire seasons, be sure to fill up your gas tank on your way home (or go fill it up now if you are home). Having a tank on or close to empty is very stressful if unforeseen events happen. Grab some extra water and non-perishable food supplies for yourself and the pets as well.

We received a phone call in Inverness that PG&E will be flying helicopters inspecting power lines this week between 9am and 4pm. They will be flying between 300 and 400 feet. So if you see low flying helicopters in West Marin, that's probably them.

A perfect day at the beach today brought out all sorts of people.

Fire department investigating issue behind the station house in Point Reyes. Road temporarily closed until they finish

Early morning, low fog in Point Reyes.

Saturday sunrise. 🏆

"The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and other parts of the Bay Area above 1000 feet, which is in effect from 8 PM Saturday Evening to 10 AM Sunday. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame with a combination of strong off shore winds with gusts to 20-35 miles per hour and low relative humidity ranging from 18-28%."

The Western v2.0

"Michael Mery Died September 28 at his home in Point Reyes Station, surrounded by family. He was 80. Michael's main interest was the local West Marin community and how to keep it vital. He was in on the ground floor, organizing, raising funds, and advocating for the West Marin Clinic, the Tomales Bay Watershed Council, and the EAH affordable housing project. His parents Larry and Megan, were successive Inverness postmasters from 1936 to 1972. He attended West Marin schools, Tomales High School and Drake, before heading out of town for his undergraduate and graduate degrees." OBITUARY: https://www.legacy.com/obituar...

Hearing reports of traffic backing up in Nicasio tonight. Apparently they are shooting a commercial for Sylvania Headlights tonight and tomorrow night in West Marin. "The proposed filiming will take place from 7:30pm until 6:00am each on Monday, Sept. 31 and Tuesday, Oct. 1." They will be shooting around Nicasio and Point Reyes. So be prepared for stoppages at various times. (Thx RC)

A very sad ending to this story of the missing person we posted a few weeks ago (Andy Nakashima was last seen at the gas station in Point Reyes). Our condolences go out to the family and friends. Via Alyssa Fritz: "Thank you to all who have been concerned and have helped in our efforts to find Andy and bring him home. We learned recently from local police officers that Andy has passed away. We don't know all the details of his passing, but he was found in his car in a beautiful remote spot along the Mendicino coast under some pine trees close to the Pacific ocean where the sound of waves could be heard.

During this difficult time, please be respectful to the family who are mourning this loss.

We are planning a celebration of Andy's life on November 2nd at Unity in Marin at 600 Palm Dr., Novato, CA, from 1:00-3:00 pm with a reception after. In the evening, those who want to continue the celebration, we are going to light a bonfire at Muir Beach at 5:30 pm.

Both old and new friends are welcome. No matter how long Andy was a part of your life, we would love for you to attend and share your memories of this extraordinary human being.

Please feel free to share and please RSVP so we can have an idea as to how many will be attending. Thank you."

https://www.facebook.com/event...

An eagle eyed WMF contributor was watching the Bodega Bay buoy camera when a humpback whale popped up. Very cool. (Thx TB) BUOY LINK: https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/stat...

"The RockSoberFest music festival, launched two years ago by Marin County producer/theater director Jeffrey Trotter, is coming to Petaluma's fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 28. Described by Trotter as Northern California's largest "fun and sober" music festival, the event was championed by the late Stefanie Keys, who was slotted to headline the Petaluma event, before passing away in July after a battle with cancer." INFO: https://www.petaluma360.com/en...

We are lucky to have a local pharmacy, so please support the West Marin Pharmacy when you can. They are having a sale this week "Save $$$!!! Say you saw it on FB! 10% off all purchases except rx and items already on sale, and the more you buy the more you save- If you spend $50.00- get 20% off!!! Hurry only until Sept. 24th!!!"

"Marin county fire reports that the west bound lane of Point Reyes-Petaluma Road is closed in the vicinity of Nicasio Valley Road due to a multiple vehicle crash." - via KWMR

What a day. Anyone have any temperature readings from West Marin? "94 at 4 pm in San Francisco broke today's previous record high maximum temperature 93 in 1954." Hopefully back to normal tomorrow.

DUE TODAY! Public comments on the Point Reyes National Seashore's General Management Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This is the last stage of public involvement.
Comments must be received by 10:59 PM PST today.
LINK: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/d...

Connect the dots.

Reports of a car flipped over into a field near North Beach in PRNPS.

Accident at Rt1 and PR/Petaluma Rd. Hopefully everyone ok. Expect some delays.

Next week is going to be dry. "A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for the North Bay Mountains and East Bay Hills & Diablo Range above 1000 feet from 9 PM Monday to 5 AM Wednesday due to dry/gusty offshore winds and low RH."

Venus in Scorpio
A local West Marin band plays
Funky Northern California Soul
With DJ Ron Ison closing the night
At The Western Saloon
Saturday Sept 21st
9pm Tickets $10
Tickets available at the door

Band members include
Michael Pinkham-drums, Brian Wilkerson on Bass, Eli Carlton-Pearson on Guitar, Amber Hines and Kegan Stedwell on Vocals and Taylor Cutcomb on Keys.

Big bike ride today in West Marin. Be careful, be safe. https://secure.nationalmssocie...

If you get a chance, check out the "The Hog Island" episode of The Chef Show on Netflix. Actor/Director Jon Favreau and Chef Roy Choi get the inside scoop on Tomales Bay and oysters from Hog Island owners John Finger and Terry Sawyer. LINK: https://www.netflix.com/title/...