Mellow sandcastle contest at Drakes Beach today, foggy and cold, but still some great entries. #sandcastle

From the Marin County Sheriff, "It's a mic drop 🎤
Lt. Doug Pittman has retired. The twitter 🌎 will remember him as our PIO and the leader of connecting us to our communities through social media. We thank Doug for his 33 years of service and wish him a happy and healthy retirement." Thank you Doug Pittman for your service to our community.

West Marin is full of beautiful surprises"”and one of the richest is the upcoming production of Shakespeare's proto-feminist comedy Taming of the Shrew, a play known for its inexplicable about-face toward the end when the fierce and independent female lead, Katherina, suddenly decides to go along with the assigned role of submissive wife.

Hosted by Inverness' St. Columba Episcopal Church in its restored 1920s amphitheater, Sharon Drake and friends present the Shrew, led by real-life married couple Katie Jay and Stephen Horvat.

"˜Taming of the Shrew' runs Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25"“26, and Saturday"“Monday, Sept. 1"“3, at St. Columba's Episcopal Church, 12835 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness. All shows, 4pm. $25.

preview:
https://pacificsun.com/stage-s...

tickets:
invernessshakespeare.brownpapertickets.com

Northern California Fires Affecting Marin Air Quality:
Health Tips for Marin Residents from the Marin County Sheriff's Office:

Smoke from fires in Mendocino County and further north is affecting our air quality and has created a potential health hazard in Marin County.

For the General Public:
Please be aware that with active wildfires and shifting winds air quality can change in a short period of time. Smoke from wildfires can affect health. The most common symptoms are eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Follow these precautions to protect your health. Those with health problems, especially heart or respiratory conditions, should take extra caution:

- Minimize outdoor activities
- Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible
- Do not run fans that bring smoky outdoor air inside
Run your air-conditioner only if it does not bring smoke in from the outdoors
- Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you experience symptoms related to smoke exposure

For Outdoor Workers:
- Limit exertion
- Take frequent breaks
- If prolonged outdoor activity is unavoidable, proper masks (for example N95 masks) properly fitted may protect against harmful exposure
- Consult with your employer if you have specific concerns

For Schools:
- When air quality is Unhealthy, activities such as athletic events or practices should be cancelled or rescheduled. Unhealthy is defined as an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 150. See below for local AQI information.
- Outdoor activities should be limited
- Windows and doors should be kept shut as much as possible
- Students with asthma should follow their asthma action plans and keep their quick-relief medicine close at hand

When to Seek Medical Attention:
- Contact your health care provider if you experience the following symptoms that do not improve after moving indoors or into a safe air quality environment:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness or pain
- Palpitations
- Nausea or unusual fatigue
- Lightheadedness and/or feeling faint

As always, if you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency, call 9-1-1.

Follow @MarinHHS for updates

For up to date information about air quality in the Bay Area go to: http://www.baaqmd.gov/ and https://airnow.gov/

For up to date information about fires in California go to: http://www.calfire.ca.gov/

2018.

Via Kathy Runion. Listen to the audio, I've never heard anything quite like it. Not for the faint of heart. "I had a pack of coyotes real real close in the woods that surround the Planned Feralhood cat enclosure, 1am Saturday night/Sunday morning. I managed to record their vocals, and it does sound like they got an animal. I pray that all pet owners are keeping their animals in at night. I have even had a coyote approach our fencing in the middle of the day in the past. Went out with a flashlight and could hear some rustling in the woods and a very short subdued vocal. This is the fourth time in two weeks I have been startled awake by coyotes in the woods that surround the Planned Feralhood cat enclosure. Inverness Park Portola neighborhood. Keep your animals safe in an enclosure, inside, or closely monitor. Could be that they have a den close by."

A middle aged man had a heart attack while surfing in Bolinas today and was found floating face down in the water. Other surfers brought him to shore where they administered CPR and he was helicoptered out to a hospital. No word on his condition. We hope everything is ok.

From Point Reyes NPS: "Sometimes its not just people that need rescue. Park Rangers & Firefighters from @marincountyfire & Inverness Fire Department responded to a fallen horse that was unable to stand. With great teamwork, the horse was safely moved down the trail to an area where it could stand up."

Bodega Fire Big Event BBQ tomorrow.

A local just contacted me and said a huge peloton just powered through Inverness, up to 75 riders, fully blocking a lane going high speed. This person was stressed and called the sheriff. Anyone else see them?

Apparently all the sirens and helicopters were for a boat rescue. Everything is fine. (Thx BE)

The Point Reyes Lighthouse is closed for restoration & construction until Oct 5. No public access beyond the parking lot. It will be getting a $5 million face-lift that has been two decades in the planning. Full Story: https://www.sfchronicle.com/ba...

Hearing reports of a collision on Hwy 1 and Marshall-Petaluma Rd, but no details. Hope everyone is ok.

Reminder, the Inverness Fair is tomorrow in Inverness by the fire station. Books, crafts, raffles and more all to support local non-profits. Always a good time. Pancake breakfast starts at 8am, fair is from 10am - 3pm.

Marin County Fire tweeted: "Good news: the #BridgeFire is 100% contained! Cause of fire is still unknown. We expect the investigation to take some time. In the meantime, please help us prevent future fires by incorporating fire safe practices in your community. Visit FireSafeMarin.org for details."

Via KWMR - "Point Reyes Petaluma Road is open. Just spoke to Marin Sheriff. 7:42 am"

Amazing footage of the Black Mountain fire in Point Reyes (#bridgefire) from the top of the mountain. https://twitter.com/nbcjeanell...

Via Marin County Sheriff as of 7:50pm: "The following road closures will remain in effect until further notice while fire crews remain on scene: Point Reyes-Petaluma Road is closed at Shoreline Highway and at Platform Bridge Road. Residents and visitors are requested to stay away from the area and use alternate route to access Point Reyes Station and Olema."

Black Mountain in Point Reyes post fire. Thank you to all the local and county emergency crews who did an amazing job responding to and containing what could have a very nasty fire. Marin County Fire Department CAL FIRE Marin County Sheriff's Office

"Currently, no structures are threatened by the #BridgeFire and no evacuation orders are in place. Point Reyes-Petaluma Road is closed at Platform Bridge Road and also at Shoreline Highway. Please avoid the area and keep roadways clear for firefighting personnel. At #BridgeFire, our Deputy Chief Mark Brown is calling it 10 percent contained and 35 acres. Five fixed-wing aircraft are refilling retardant at Santa Rosa airport." - Marin County Fire

"The fire at Black Mountain in Nicasio is up to 25 acres and more engines are on the way. "It's moving at a moderate to rapid rate of speed and has the potential of 30 to 40 acres." -- #MarinCounty Fire Deputy Chief Mark Brown, on the fire near Nicasio." A fire helicopter couldn't come from SF due to fog. Bulldozers are being scrambled to build breaks. Flames started at the road and have shot up to the top of the mountain.

"Petaluma-Pt. Reyes Road is closed from Platform Bridge to Hwy 1, while @marincountyfire battles a fire on Black Mtn." Via Marin County Sheriff

Just heard a report that there is a small but growing grass fire on Black Mtn by the gravel pit on PR/Petaluma Road. (Thx XW)

Via KWMR, "Vegetation fire reported on Point Reyes Petaluma Road in the vicinity of Platform Bridge Road. Fire personnel are responding. Traffic control will be in effect. KWMR updating every 15 minutes."

Via KWMR "Much of West Marin lost power early this morning (8/8) due to a tree that fell on power lines and a blown transformer. PG&E cut power remotely to the area to avoid further issues. Highway 1 was closed for a short time while Fire Crews cleared the tree. PG&E is still repairing the outage in Olema. Highway 1 is open. Live programming will resume on KWMR at 8am."

TWMF will be on vacation and offline for a couple of days, so no updates until next week. Hopefully things stay quiet and safe. One note, "Marin Century this Saturday will mean major disruption for anyone using Petaluma Rd, Nicasio Valley and Lucas Valley Road." - Thx JS

"Does anyone know who took away the lovely new bench with the carved heart placed at the beginning of Shell 1? Perfect to dust off the sand and put on your shoes? Was it not "native" enough?" (Thx JL)

TWMF is out of town, but we heard there was a small earthquake in Marin just now. Did people feel it?

"Shoreline Unified School District invites the public to join a facilities needs prioritization meeting on Tuesday, July 31st, at 6:00 pm at the Tomales History Center. We will also discuss funding options for the facilities projects, including a possible general obligation bond. Projects under consideration involve all five school sites. Please join us." - via Madeline Hope

"Lost Dog: French Bulldog found on Vision Road today and brought to Point Reyes Animal Hospital. Please call 415-497-7256 if you have an information." - Mary Whitney

"Drift smoke from Northern California Fires in Marin County. There are no active fires currently in Marin." Ross Valley Fire

"It is with great sadness that I must announce that Planned Feralhood will no longer be able to offer the service of our TNR - Trap/Neuter/Return/Feed & Monitor program for feral cats. Nor will we be able to provide a foster and adoption program for kittens.

Planned Feralhood has provided these services to the West Marin community, primarily around Point Reyes Station, free of charge and on a voluntary basis for the last sixteen years. We succeeded in bringing an explosion of feral cat colonies in 2002 to a zero population in 2017. This was achieved through the constant monitoring of cat movement in our community, and the immediate response of trapping any new cats and kittens who appeared, having them neutered, and getting them adopted or safely placed. Every year I have tended to several new cat and kitten appearances, and kept the feral cat population at zero.

Sadly"¦ last October a business owner in Point Reyes Station started a new colony of un-neutered cats when the female they brought onto their property as an outside cat had kittens. This person refused the free services of Planned Feralhood to spay, neuter, and vaccinate the group, and ignored the information that we gave them on how these cats would proliferate, move out into town, and lead into a new feral cat population explosion in a matter of months. Now those kittens are having kittens, and the reports are coming in that they are appearing and spreading throughout the town.

At the same time, Planned Feralhood and I have been sued for taking back an adopted cat who had suffered abuse and neglect. This suit has been very taxing.

I have been on my own doing this work for the last ten years. Over the course of the sixteen years Planned Feralhood has been in operation, I built a sanctuary for the cats I encountered along the way with no other options for a place to go. These cats are special needs, elderly, and behaviorally compromised. I am unable to take any more cats into the sanctuary. My mission now is to ensure that these cats are cared for and are able to live out their lives in safety and peace. This takes all my strength and attention, and any funds that we are able to raise need to go toward food, sanctuary, and veterinary care. Due to health issues and finances, I simply am not able to start all over again with the TNR and kitten program.

If there is anyone in the West Marin community who would like to do any portion of this work, I can provide some training, resources, and equipment. Otherwise you may find help through Marin Friends of Ferals, Marin Humane, and Jake's Place Cat Rescue. All have web pages and Facebook pages.

The Point Reyes Animal Hospital has participated in a feral cat voucher program provided by Marin Humane, where trapped feral cats may be brought in for spay/neuter surgery and vaccinations free of cost. You should talk to Dr. Whitney ahead of time and make a plan for trapping and bringing the cats in. Contact Keri Fennell at Marin Humane for vouchers.

For more information on Trap/Neuter/Return and humane feral cat management, please Google Alley Cat Allies.

I want to thank each and every person who has supported Planned Feralhood over all these sixteen years. We could never have accomplished saving thousands of cat lives without it, whether it be donations, service, or just spiritual support. Dr. Mary Whitney at the Point Reyes Animal Hospital deserves recognition for her invaluable contribution to the neutering and care of all the cats that went through our program. Thank you to Keri Fennell and Marin Humane for supporting the feral cat program and for their vouchers which made it possible to use our own local clinic. Thank you Marin Friends of Ferals for all you do. Thank you to Dr. Lilliam Alfaro at The Loving Kindness Veterinary Clinic in Stinson Beach for her help.

We are still a 501(c)(3) non profit public charity who is supporting forty cats in sanctuary with us, so we will continue to ask for donations for that aspect of our work as we continue forward. My hope is that others in West Marin will carry on this most satisfying work of the humanitarian care of feral cat colonies. Please"¦. when you see a cat in need, seek help and guidance from the resources I have listed above. If each neighborhood will take care of its own homeless cats, then there will be no more feral cats."

Thank you,
Kathy Runnion
Founder & President
Planned Feralhood
Point Reyes Station, CA

"Point Reyes National Seashore invites you to the 38th Annual Big Time Festival at Kule Loklo, Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 10 am to 4 pm. Please join us for this traditional Native American trade festival at Kule Loklo, a Coast Miwok Cultural Exhibit. Throughout the day demonstrators will exhibit their skills in basketry, flint knapping, clamshell bead making, and more. Learn more about the culture and traditions of the Coast Miwok and other local American Indians at a variety of informational booths." LINK: https://www.nps.gov/pore/plany...

"It appears West Marin voters will get to decide in November whether they want to approve an increase in the area's transient occupancy tax.

On a first reading Tuesday, Marin County supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to put a measure proposing the tax increase on the Nov. 6 ballot. The board is scheduled to take a second and final vote on the ordinance on July 31.

The proposal would boost the transient occupancy tax (TOT) from its current 10 percent level to 14 percent for any hotel or short-term rental in West Marin. The measure would also include a 4 percent TOT for private campgrounds in West Marin."

FULL STORY: http://www.marinij.com/busines...

Heard lots of chatter about a huge boat in Tomales Bay last week. David Kramer sent over a photo of it (on the left). The boat left and I didn't think much about it until it showed up during the SF Giants game on TV over the weekend. Living large. Anyone else see it when it was here?