There has been a helicopter flying low for extended periods of time over Nicasio the last two days, anyone know why? Search and rescue? Commerical?

Keep it local! "Dance Palace Artisan Craft & Holiday Market in Point Reyes: This 48th annual event offers art and fine crafts from favorite local artisans and new offerings including an expanded holiday market and live entertainment. The festivities kick-off on Friday evening, November 30th will the tree lighting and Path of Lights where local Point Reyes merchants stay open late. Papermill Creek Children's Corner has delicious baked goods, and there will be hearty fare from Inverness Park Market and scrumptious Straus Organic Eggnog! On Saturday and Sunday the Dance Palace is alive with lively entertainment, local West Marin makers selling handcrafted treasures, a kid's make and take craft station, youth vendors and Santa just might make a visit! Free Admission."

"This Sunday (Dec 2) El Radio Fantastique will rock this benefit for our dear friends Stefanie Keys-Pisarczyk, and Michelle Lujan. Bring your love and goodwill, and let's help them heal. All Ages Food/Bar, Sliding Scale $10- $10,000 Roasted vegetables "pot au feu" over dolcini ranch polenta Turkey cooked around the clock over a mash of table top farm potatoes Mugs of Olema butternut squash soup pointed out by giant grissini Buffalo milk ice cream cones Super chocolate and rye brownies" LINK: https://www.facebook.com/event...

Stunning sunrise between storms in Inverness. #sunrise

Tomorrow could be very windy and rainy. Lots of accidents out there today. Please stay safe. From NWS Bay Area. "Shower activity becoming more widespread as vigorous front approaches the coast. Locally heavy rain possible though the remainder of the evening and overnight. Gale warnings are in effect tonight through Thursday for the coastal waters, Monterey Bay, and northern San Francisco Bay. Southeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph are expected. Winds will switch to westerly on Thursday."

UPDATE: Clear now. Looks like an accident on Lucas Valley in the turns. Traffic backing way up, use alternative route.

From PR Light "The Board of Supervisors has approved new speed limits for three sections of Point Reyes-Petaluma Road. Drivers traveling from Platform Bridge to Highway 1 in Point Reyes Station will have to slow down from 50 mph to 45 mph. The segment from the Marin County line to the McEvoy Ranch will see a decrease from 55 mph to 50 mph. From the Red Hill summit south to the Spaletta Ranch"”a distance of less than half a mile"”there will be an increase from 40 mph to 45 mph." Be safe!

Black Saturday at The Palace Market in Point Reyes.

"ªOpen Studios in Point Reyes this weekend. A great way to spend a rainy day, see some cool spaces and excellent art. https://pointreyesart.com/"¬

"Power outage in Nicasio. 115 affected." Thx CL

Hope everyone is having a nice Thanksgiving, it you're looking for something to do this Friday night, check out the Haggards Fifth Annual Black Friday Show at The Western starting at 8:00pm. Always s good time.

A reminder: "Thanksgiving Day is still garbage day West Marin, please have your cans out so your drivers do not have to come back. I am your commercial Garbage driver and I'll be in Bolinas in the morning, so be sure not to park in front of any dumpsters please." - Kirk

Smoggy skies lifted and a beautiful sunset snuck in at North Beach before the storm shows up. #sunset

Bay Area NWS: "Two storm systems are forecast to sweep across our region this week: The first is due in late Tuesday night and Wednesday and the second from late Thursday evening through Friday. Here are forecast rain totals for both systems combined."

NWS Bay Area: "Latest HRRR smoke model output shows little improvement in air quality across the #BayArea through at least midday Saturday, with slight improvement forecast by late Saturday afternoon and evening. A significant pattern change appears likely starting around the middle of next week, with the potential for widespread periodic rainfall during the second half of the week."

LINK: https://twitter.com/nwsbayarea...

Smoke just seemed to really fill in through Inverness.

Air quality is predicted to be particularly bad today. San Rafael and San Francisco are in the 200 and above range. Haven't seen a reading for West Marin yet, but Novato public schools, Marin Waldorf and San Domenico are closed. Stay inside if you can, wear a mask outside.

Brazzistance Samba & Bossa Nova @ Sir & Star in Olema tonight at 6:00pm.

Gil is a recent arrival from Rio where he played in the Musica Popular Brasileira band scene for many years. Gil plays guitar and vocals and writes many of the songs. Steve, poet, & percussionist, plays bossa londres beats on
djembe.

Featuring special Brazilian Cuisine from Sir and Star Chefs Daniel DeLong and Margaret Grade will be serving Feijoada Sumptuous Brazilian stew
to accompany the catchy beats and suave melodies of Musica Popular Brasileira

The meeting is tonight from 5pm - 7pm at The West Marin School gym in Point Reyes.

"The National Park Service announces a notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a General Management Plan Amendment to address all lands currently under agricultural lease/permits within Point Reyes National Seashore and the north district of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

With this announcement, the Park Service introduces a broad range of alternatives for the plan from twenty-year agricultural lease/permits with diversification and increased operational flexibility, to reduced ranching, no dairy ranching, and no ranching alternatives. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will also include a range of alternatives for the management of tule elk in the planning area, from elimination to active management to expansion of the Drakes Beach herd.

The Park Service's proposed action would allow existing ranch families to continue beef and dairy operations with twenty-year lease/permits, tule elk in the Drakes Beach area would be managed at a level compatible with authorized ranching, and the proposed action would identify improvements to the visitor experience, management strategies to protect park resources, and visitor carrying capacities within the planning area.

This announcement also initiates a thirty-day public comment period from October 31 to November 30, during which the Park Service will host two scoping meetings. The meetings will be identical in format and are intended to share information and gather public comments for use in shaping the plan."

https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn...

"Hey West Marin! PG&E called and told me today they were going to charge me $435 if I chose NOT to upgrade to a smart meter. Anybody else getting that notice?" - Bonnie Porter

PRNPS: "For those wondering if you can escape the smoke at the coast, it's not likely. All of Point Reyes National Seashore is under a layer of smoke like the rest of the Bay Area. The air quality is expected to remain poor throughout the weekend.(mh) 📸:NPS Photo (closed road)"

West Marin looks pretty clear on this model. "The latest experimental near-surface smoke forecast continues to show smoke from the #CampFire impacting much of the Bay Area today and possibly into Sunday. #CAwx" full animation: https://twitter.com/nwsbayarea...

Starting the day like we finished yesterday. Air quality is red, stay inside if you can and take care of yourself. #sunrise

"Air quality is Red (Unhealthy). People w/ heart/lung disease, older adults, children & teens: Avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Keep outdoor activities short; Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them." For more info: http://www.airnow.gov

Marin County Fire: "Smoke from the #CampFire in #ButteCounty is heading our way. #MarinCounty, please only call 911 if you see visible fire or a building column of smoke within our own county. Our emergency dispatchers thank you."

Election is finally over. Here are some highlights from Marin:
- Jared Huffman, Mark Levin and Mike McGuire won.
- Heidi Koenig and Tim Kehoe are on the Shoreline school board.
- Measure W, occupancy tax, passed by 73% vote.
- Bond Measure I, Shoreline bond, passed by 67% vote
The rest of the results are here: https://www.kqed.org/elections...

From Marin Public Works: "As part of our ongoing effort to improve roads conditions and safety in Marin County, we're wrapping up 3 road repair projects in West Marin, including 2 retaining walls. The third project repaved 5 miles of Lucas Valley Road, which was made possible by Senate Bill 1 funding! #SB1 funds allow us to address priority projects earlier than previously possible, thereby saving money in the long run by avoiding further roadway deterioration that would require more expensive repair projects."

Election is finally over. Here are some highlights from Marin:

Jared Huffman, Mark Levin and Mike McGuire won.

Heidi Koenig and Tim Kehoe are on the Shoreline school board.

Measure W, occupancy tax, passed by 73% vote.
Bond Measure I, Shoreline bond, passed by 67% vote

The rest of the results are here: https://www.kqed.org/elections...

An otter just ran in front of my car in front of Dixon Marine in Inverness.

This headline in the Point Reyes Light two weeks ago created confusion and concern among local residents: "Inverness water under scrutiny after tests show high lead levels".

Wade Holland published this post in the West Marin Commons clarifying the issue: "Anytime there is lead in drinking water, it is a cause for concern. There is no risk of lead in the water from our Inverness watershed, nor is any lead accumulating in the water during our treatment, storage, and distribution processes -- as the results of more than 20 years' worth of laboratory testing have demonstrated. From time to time, we are required to ask selected homeowners to take a sample of the water after it has sat for at least 6 hours in their plumbing and faucets (kitchen faucets, in particular). We test these samples to ensure that lead and copper are not being leached from the customers' interior plumbing to a degree that would constitute an exceedance of the EPA maximum level (which is 15 parts per BILLION). If this is occurring, we want to know about it because we may be able to help mitigate the issue by adding agents to our water that will reduce corrosivity and thus reduce the likelihood of lead leaching from customer plumbing and fixtures. In a recent round of such lead testing, we found three homes with slightly elevated lead levels, most likely caused by leaching from their kitchen sink faucet. We are working with these homeowners to replace the suspect faucets before we conduct the next round of testing (later this month). In the meantime, there is a simple workaround: When you need water for drinking or cooking, first let the water run for 30-60 seconds so the water you draw for use will not have been in the pipes or fixtures long enough to leach any lead. For a fee, we can arrange testing of water from your kitchen sink faucet (if you are an IPUD customer).
Wade Holland, Administrator
Inverness Public Utility District"

LINK TO FULL STORY: https://www.ptreyeslight.com/a...

The Fifth Annual Stinson Beach Doc Fest is happening from Nov. 9 - Nov. 11 with a really great line up of films including the Ruth Bader Ginsburg doc, "RBG" and the amazing climbing film "Free Solo". Benefiting the Stinson Beach Community Center. More information and tickets available here: http://stinsondocfest.org

There was a medical emergency at Limantour Beach earlier this evening, helicopter was dispatched. Didn't sound too bad, hopefully everyone ok.

Just heard a report of an accident on Lucas Vallery Road. Lanes blocked now, but should be cleared soon. No word on injuries.

"The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and other parts of the Bay Area, which is in effect from 1 AM Saturday to 6 AM Sunday, November 4th.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame with a combination of strong North East winds with gusts to 60 miles per hour and low relative humidity.

The affected area includes higher terrain areas of Marin, Napa, Sonoma counties above 1,000 feet.

The concerns of this weather system are that fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.

The following land use restrictions are in effect for the Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin Open Space, and The Point Reyes National Seashore during the Red Flag conditions.

"¢ Closures at Sky Oaks, Natalie Coffin Green Park (Ross), and Leo Cronin Parking Lot, Marin Municipal Water District
"¢ Mount Vision Rd, Inverness (National Park Service)
"¢ All open burning and burn permits are suspended on public lands
"¢ All watershed land use permits are canceled
"¢ Closures to Mount Tamalpais State Park - Roads north of Panoramic Highway are closed to motor vehicle traffic on Pantoll Road and Ridgecrest Boulevard. All park use permits north of Panoramic Highway are suspended, including filming

Marin fire agencies will be increasing staffing as conditions change throughout the county during the Red Flag Warning.

Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution during the Red Flag Warning because a simple spark could cause a major wildfire, including the use of equipment and machinery as well as smoking."

Wednesday, Oct 31, is the final day of KWMR's Fall Pledge Drive! Please support community radio by calling 415-663-9050 or online at www.kwmr.org. Not only does KWMR provide top notch local entertainment, but it is a critical part of our local emergency information network. Please support them. Trick or treaters also welcome to stop by on Halloween from 5-7pm, maybe you'll end up on the air!

"A Fairfax woman was arrested on DUI allegations Monday night after fatally striking a bicyclist in Woodacre, police said.

The collision happened at about 5:30 p.m. on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, where a westbound Ford Explorer hit the cyclist near Railroad Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Medics took the cyclist to Marin General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Dixie School District officials identified the cyclist as Debra DiBenedetto, a second-grade teacher at Dixie Elementary School."

FULL STORY: https://www.marinij.com/2018/1...

From the Point Reyes Light: "No turkeys will be served at the Dance Palace this Thanksgiving Day. The community meal that has existed in various forms for over 30 years is being temporarily shelved as its organizer, West Marin Community Services, devises a new version that can better serve locals.

According to executive director Socorro Romo, a few troubling trends have made organizers want to re-configure the tradition. In particular, participation by the have-nots has dwindled, while those-who-have have taken over. And, Ms. Romo said, of last year's more than 300 attendees, "there were people from 30 towns. And that's when we went "˜Wow, no. We really want to focus on locals and low-income locals.'"

"People who were donating the turkeys were like, "˜Why are we doing it for people from out of the area?'" said Angelo Sacheli, one of the event's founders. He said that last year someone walked into the event, asked if it was free and subsequently cancelled a reservation at Sir and Star restaurant in Olema."

FULL STORY: https://www.ptreyeslight.com/a...

Missing cat. Quito, female 4 years old. Pretty friendly. Last seen Tuesday 10/23 on highway one near Tomasini Canyon Rd. If you've seen her contact Angela and Andrew at 415-350-9742. Thanks!

"The U.S. Coast Guard says that a man was rescued near the Farallon Islands after suffering from a shark bite. The bite was reportedly on his wrist and forearm.

He's been identified as Ron Elliot, a commercial diver and documentary film maker who has been diving at the islands for more than 30 years, according to a NOAA Greater Farallones spokesperson.

It's believed Elliot was filming underwater at the time of the attack. He was picked up from a vessel called NorCal 1 and then then transferred to Stanford Medical Center by helicopter."

Full story: https://abc7news.com/amp/man-r...

Short film about Ron Elliot: https://www.nearmissfilm.com/

Great sunset this morning and this to come later.... "Enjoy the second full moon of autumn. The angle between the moon and horizon is narrower this time of year, so it rises faster. Watch the moon ascend at at 6:51pm tonight."

"Just to let you know, you can stop by the Point Reyes Library/West Marin Literacy for flu shots today between 10:00 and 4:00 pm. Enter through the West Marin Literacy door. Sponsored by the West Marin Health and Human Services." - thx JL

Does anyone know what this was? "Thare was some event near Nicasio last night, with hundreds of cars on the roads and an incredible number of cars parked on Lagunitas School Rd for a "Solstice Shuttle"."

Helicopter in Inverness taking someone to hospital, hopefully everything ok.

Sounds like there was a mobile home fire in Olema causing smoke and car accident at SFD and Hwy 1. Everyone seems to be ok. (Thx BE)

Lots of humpback whale action in Point Reyes as well today. #whale #whaletail

Was lucky enough to be in a boat off the coast of Point Reyes this morning when this 17 foot great white shark swam by. Shark season is here

The midterms are upon us. Two links you might be interested in. There will be an Election Night Event at Toby's Feed Barn on Nov. 6 from 5pm - 9pm to watch live results. Also, Wade Holland has published his guide to the Nov. 6 ballot.

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

Ballot Guide:
https://www.ptreyeslight.com/a...

Elections matter. Please vote.

Couple of events happening this week. Parachute Days featuring local favorites El Radio Fantastique is on Saturday, Oct. 12. And the Audobon Canyon Ranch is hosting a very cool event for kids at the Martin Griffin Preserve in Bolinas on Saturday, Oct 12 as well.

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

Martin Griffin Ranch:
https://www.facebook.com/event...

"Did anyone see the strange light in the sky about 10 minutes ago?" - from a local resident UPDATE: it was Space X launch

Was getting out of my car with my eight year old son in Point Reyes today when a single motorcycle was driving by through downtown way too fast. I gave a mellow slow down hand signal and he gave me the finger. Good times.

Sounds like a rescue crews responding to kayak situation in Tomales Bay right now. Super windy out there. UPDATE: Everyone ok.

"Looks like Significant roadwork on Lucas Valley Road from Nicasio Valley Road to Big Rock. Work expected to last through 11/2/18. Signs say to expect delays." Work already in progress.

Car flipped over by Dream Farm Rd on SFD in Inverness. Everyone ok, expect delays. (Thx DW)

Rain!

It was reported to TWMF today that a bear was spotted two different times on Drakes Summit in Inverness Park on Wednesday. (Thx MM)

The Fine Arts Gallery at the College of Marin is showing the recurring Made in Marin exhibit featuring local artists Grayson Kent and Ido Yoshimoto starting this weekend. Reception is from 4pm - 6pm on Saturday, Sept. 29 and thw show runs through Oct. 25. The reception will feature a talk with Grayson and Ido moderated by Tung Chiang of Heath Ceramics. Don't miss it! MORE INFO: http://www1.marin.edu/fine-art...

Helicopter just flew right over our house in Inverness, anyone know what's going on? Looked like Henry 1?

Epic moon rise tonight. Who got a good shot of it?

I've had this dream.

"Found a guitar today on Mesa Road - if this is yours or you know who it belongs to, you can call me 415-663-8156."

The Waves to Wine benefit bicycle ride is heading through Point Reyes today. Be prepared, be safe. MORE INFO: https://secure.nationalmssocie...

Friday trivia quiz. Name the artist who made the very groovy custom letters for the hardware store.

Red Flag Warning In Effect for Marin County
Warning to remain in place until Thursday afternoon.

Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and other parts of the Bay Area, which is in effect from 11 PM this evening to 5 PM Thursday, September 20.

This supersedes the Fire Weather Watch that was previously in effect.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame with a combination of strong offshore winds with gusts to 35 miles per hour and low relative humidity ranging from 25-35 percent.

The affected area includes higher terrain areas of Marin, Napa, Sonoma counties.

The concerns of this weather system are that fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
The following land use restrictions are in effect for the Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin Open Space, and The Point Reyes National Seashore during the Red Flag conditions.

"¢ Closures at Sky Oaks, Natalie Coffin Green Park (Ross), and Leo Cronin Parking Lot
"¢ Closure to Mount Vision Rd (National Park Service)
"¢ All open burning and burn permits are suspended on public lands
"¢ All watershed land use permits are canceled
"¢ Closures to Mount Tamalpais State Park - Roads north of Panoramic Highway are closed to motor vehicle traffic on Pantoll Road and Ridgecrest Boulevard. All park use permits north of Panoramic Highway are suspended, including filming

Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution during the Red Flag Warning because a simple spark could cause a major wildfire including the use of equipment and machinery as well as smoking in open spaces.

The Mount Tamalpais State Park information number is 415-388-2070.
The Marin Municipal Water District information number is 415-945-1195.
The Marin County Fire Information Hotline number is 415-473-7191.

Defensible space is essential to improve your home's chance of surviving a wildfire.

To register for emergency alerts, visit: www.alertmarin.org

To learn more about preparing for wildfire please visit: www.firesafemarin.org

"Debbie Viess, who, with her husband, David Rust, were astonished last week when they found fresh bear scat at Tomales Bay State Park. "We were hiking along Pierce Point Road when my husband and I found this rather fresh pile of bear scat," Viess said. Judging by the photo "” you can roughly determine the size and age of the bear by the diameter of the pellets, referenced by a pine cone in the photo "” the best projection is that it was from a young bear, probably about 200 pounds." FULL STORY: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sp...

So someone just found a syringe with a needle in it in the bank parking lot today. How does one dispose of this? Seems very dangerous with all the kids that play there. Also, have people seen this before?

"The biggest volunteer event of the year is tomorrow! Thank you for joining your neighbors at any of 1,000+ locations throughout California for #CoastalCleanupDay 9am-noon. It's not too late to make plans to help out! Visit http://coastalcleanupday.org"

From Hog Island: To celebrate Hog Island Oyster Co.'s 35th Anniversary we launched these Ocean Film Nights on the Farm, in partnership with San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival.

Our last Film Night is Saturday, September 22. 5:30 - 8:00 PM - featuring Blue Serengeti with guest speaker David McGuire. Tickets are $55 each which includes entrance to the film and reception with oysters, beer, wine and light 'snacks from the sea'. This is a fundraiser, with 100% of ticket sales donated to sharkstewards.org

Hog Island FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/event...

About Blue Serengeti
Blue Serengeti (USA), Robert Nixon, 2017 IOFF OCEAN SCIENCE AWARD. Vaster than the Great Serengeti Parks of Africa, the Pacific Ocean is brimming with its own predators who swim across the ocean to feed on the abundant prey in the waters of theCalifornia National Marine Sanctuaries. Renowned Stanford University marine biologist, Dr.Barbara Block, uses cutting edge camera tags to track the movements of marine creatures, giving us a rare, first-hand perspective on the life of a great white shark.
TRAILER: https://vimeopro.com/user21783...

A nice sunrise over Olema post fire this morning.

"Investigators said the vegetation fire near the east border of Samuel P. Taylor State Park northeast of Lagunitas was caused by a downed power line at the base of the south side of Mount Barnabe around the Ridge Trail. It was reported around 7 p.m. Monday." FULL STORY: http://amp.ktvu.com/news/fire-...

What resources did you use during the Irving Fire and were they helpful? What could be improved? Please leave your answers in the comments. Some examples:
- Nixle
- Alert Marin
- Fire Public Information Hotline
- Twitter accounts (like Marin County Fire)
- Facebook pages (like CHP Marin)
- Friends Facebook posts
- Listened to scanner on Broadcastify
- Listened to KWMR
- The West Marin Feed Facebook page
- The West Marin Feed web page
- Anything else?

Thanks to all the incredible hard work by local and state fire agencies, it appears the Irving Vegetation Fire is under control with minimal damage. From Marin County Fire: "Update: all evacuation orders are now lifted! All roads have been reopened, though some homes will be without power until noon tomorrow, including the 200 & 300 blocks of Arroyo and the 100 block of Portola. Please contact @PGE4Me for additional outage info."

A number of people have mentioned hearing this in the comments, "Heard 8 gunshots early this am in Inverness, around 4. Second valley. Very disconcerting. Anyone else hear them? or know anything about it?"

Via Marin Country Fire, "#IrvingFire Update: Sir Francis Drake has reopened between Nicasio Valley Rd and Platform Bridge Rd. Arroyo Road remains closed. Evacuation orders are still in place for Mountain King Road, Portola Ave and Alamo Way. Please stay out of evacuation area until orders are lifted."

Via Marin County Fire: "Fire suppression getting easier now that air support is available. Thanks to @CAL_FIRE @SantaRosaFire Tomales Volunteer Fire, Sonoma Valley Fire and @CHPMarin for their assistance today. #IrvingFire #WestMarin #MarinCounty"

Via Marin County Fire, "#IrvingFire Update: Lagunitas School is closed for the day, per school superintendent. School campus is unharmed, but many staff and students are evacuated and are unable report to work."

If you haven't already signed up for Alert Marin, NOW IS THE TIME! We use Alert Marin to send emergency alerts (like evacuation orders) to you via text, email, or cell phone. Sign up multiple numbers in your household. Get started at AlertMarin.org. #IrvingFire

Update on Sir Francis Drake road closure from Marin County Fire, "Re: road closures: students, parents and teachers will be allowed through."

Lucas Valley Road is open and Nicasio Valley Road is open as well. Seems like cel service is down for much of Inverness Park and Point Reyes.