"Traffic control is in effect on Lucas Valley Road east of Big Rock due to a multi-vehicle collision with a vehicle over the embankment" - via KWMR

News from the Point Reyes Light: Blue Waters Kayaking shutting down Marshall operation and Moonrise Kingdom compound in Inverness approved with some tweaks.

Trevor Trainia in the Moonrise story, ""I think there's no small amount of irony that we are the out-of-towners," he said. "We see the not-so-subtle digs at the wealthy people from out of town coming to Inverness. There is no small amount of irony that we are the ones trying to preserve what independent experts have told us are architecturally significant, as well as locally beloved, structures, and the so-called Inverness Association are the people advocating for the destruction of these valuable buildings. How this dynamic occurred is puzzling to me."

LINKS:
http://www.ptreyeslight.com/ar...

http://www.ptreyeslight.com/ar...

"Magnitude 6.8 #earthquake strikes off the coast of California, the USGS reports. 115 miles west of Eureka. Tsunami NOT expected."

Going to be a wild week of weather. Its forecasted to get down to 29 degrees tonight. Bundle up! And be prepared for hazardous driving conditions the next couple of days. (thx MM)
DETAILS: http://forecast.weather.gov/Ma...

Via Jared Huffman, "I just received the sad news that Gary Giacomini, former Marin County Supervisor and longtime community leader, died last night. This is the passing of a legend. Gary had such a profound impact on our environment and quality of life in Marin County and beyond. He was one of the most colorful, strategic and irrepressible characters I've ever met -- right out of the Phil Burton political mold. You had to get to know him to understand that beneath a sometimes gruff or even brash exterior was a man with an enormous heart that guided his public service and community work throughout his remarkable career. I'm honored to have known and worked with Gary, and to count him as a friend." (thx EW) (2007 picture of GM from MarinIJ)

Anyone just feel or hear a big explosion?

Lots of holiday events happening this weekend. Scroll down below to see them all. Support our local shops and artisans!

Friday
- The Annual Path of Lights tree lighting ceremony starts at 6:30pm in downtown Point Reyes
- Reception for Carlos Porrata and Daniel Dietrich's amazing nature photos at Tobys from 5pm to 7pm
- MMMM! Mothers, Maidens and Melodies Market music and handmade goods made by at Ink.Paper.Plate starting at 6:30pm
- The 46th annual Dance Palace Holiday Crafts fair starts from 4pm to 9pm

Saturday
- Community Land Trust or West Marin has its gingerbread contest and silent auction at Little Yellow House in Point Reyes from 10am to 2pm
- The 46th annual Dance Palace Holiday Crafts fair continues 10am to 5pm
- A Standing Rock benefit art sale and auction at the Bolinas Gallery from 1pm to 5pm
- La Liberta CD release party at Yoga Toes at 7pm

Sunday
- The 46th annual Dance Palace Holiday Crafts fair continues 10am to 5pm
- A Standing Rock benefit art sale and auction at the Bolinas Gallery from 1pm to 5pm
- Open house and community party at The Gables at the Inverness Library and Jack Mason Museum celebrating 30 years. From 1pm to 4pm
- Santa Claus arrives by water sleigh at Nick's Cove at 3pm

Whew.

Links:

Photo from this blog post by Dave Mitchell:
http://www.sparselysageandtime...

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

Ink.Paper.Plate event:
https://www.facebook.com/event...

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

For those interested in voicing your opinions about the 'Moonrise Kingdom' project that is being built at the top of Vision Road by San Franciscans Trevor and Alexis Traina, the public hearing is Thursday, Dec 1 at 9:00am at the Civic Center in San Rafael.

"The applicant is requesting approval to restore and retain three existing residential structures, demolish two residential structures, and construct a new single-family residence on the 6.04 acre property. The proposed single-family residence would consist of a 25 foot tall, two-story structure comprised of 3,993 square feet of floor area and 4,481 square feet of building area. When combined with the existing structures on the property (to be retained), the total proposed floor area is 7,619 square-feet, for a floor area ratio of 3% and a total building area of 8,544 square-feet. "

Public hearing notice here:
http://www.marincounty.org/dep...

Background on why people are concerned here:
http://www.ptreyeslight.com/ar...

From the New Yorker this week. "Frédéric Lefebvre had been convinced all along that Trump could win. He spends two weeks of most months in Paris and two weeks travelling among his constituency, in an area that is forty times the size of France. "A year ago, I was in San Francisco for the weekend," he said. "I went to Point Reyes to see the whales and then to eat oysters at Marshall, and I met many, many Americans during this moment of pleasure. I remember I met a young woman"”she was thirty-five years old, had two daughters, and was working all day doing valet parking at a restaurant. It was just after Trump said some horrible things about women, and she told me, "˜I will vote for Trump, because I want to change this system.' " FULL STORY: http://www.newyorker.com/magaz...

Go to this show! "One time West Marin resident, singer songwriter Jesse DeNatale, will give a Post-Thanksgiving Benefit Concert with his band at Toby's Feed Barn in downtown Point Reyes Station Sunday Nov. 27th at 4pm. The proceeds will benefit the Tomales Bay Youth Center. Along with the show, there will be a raffle with tickets to some of the Bay." https://www.eventbrite.com/e/j...

Solid rainbow action over Tomales Bay just now. Anyone else see that one? That one had a pot of gold for sure.

The Haggards are playing a 'Black Friday' show at The Western tonight at 8:00. If you don't know what any of that means, just go, you will enjoy. https://www.facebook.com/event...

Didn't realize Black Friday extended to Point Reyes. It's madness here. Shelter in place!

Happy Thanksgiving from TWMF! #westmarin #thanksgiving #grateful

"Heads up - Point Reyes gas station pumps are down." - thx LN

Apparently a reporter from Mother Jones was talking about this on KWMR this morning? First I had heard of any of this, anyone else know about these incidents?

Dumping rain in Inverness right now.

After a good rain, the waterfalls in West Marin kicked into gear. #waterfalls (thx XW)

Plenty of rain and wind in Inverness in West Marin. How's everyone else holding up?

"IN THE SLEEPY Marin County town of Inverness, on a remote wooded ridge that overlooks the wide blue sweep of the Tomales Bay, sits a modest, low-slung redwood cabin that the late multidisciplinary artist-craftsman J.B. Blunk built entirely by hand."

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11...

"An eight-mile section of Fairfax-Bolinas Road will reopen on Friday, November 18, after undergoing extensive repairs and safety improvements by Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW). The stretch of road between Ridgecrest Bouelvard and the Meadow Club in Fairfax, a key artery for many West Marin residents, has been closed since March 2016 because of heavy mudslide damage." (thx DJ)

http://www.marincounty.org/mai...

Standing Rock rally happening in downtown Point Reyes this afternoon. #noDAPL

Horrible traffic on Lucas Valley Road today due to construction. Plan accordingly. Anyone know what the construction schedule is?

"Lucas Valley Road is blocked in
both directions due to a vehicle fire near Big Rock" - via KMWR

There are two events happening tonight for people who want to connect about their concerns about the election. One at the White Barn at the Giacommini Wetlands at 5:15pm (please arrive early and quietly) and one at 6:00pm at Chicken Ranch Beach.

Here is the breakdown of the County of Marin voting results. They don't include what the Props were, they just have the numbers. In the race most people were probably watching locally, Rodoni won for supervisor.

http://www.marincounty.org/dep...

A picture of the fire on Via De La Vista in Inverness today courtesy of the Point Reyes Light (via KWMR). Thanks to our local firefighting crews for responding so quickly and getting this under control.

"Emergency units are responding to a structure fire on Via De La Vista in Inverness" - via KWMR

Can't believe this is actually happening. Go vote!

More information about the recent explosions and bomb squad sightings from Richard James. "I led a Sierra Club litter pickup group last weekend and the group found two of these on south beach. The proper thing to do I am told is to not touch them (phosphorus is very unstable when it has dried, will burn when it contacts air), put a warning line around them if possible and contact county dispatch asap at 415-499-7233. They will call NPS LE who will then call the travis air force base EOD bomb squad. The folks then come down and blow the items up in place."

Apparently a bunch of them have washed up, so be careful if you find one and report them! And the waves will continue to be huge this week, so be safe at the beaches!

Here is the data sheet:
http://www.hfipyrotechnics.com...

Marin County Sheriffs's Notice -Gas Station Skimmer Warning

On November 3rd, a skimmer device was found at a gas station in unincorporated Mill Valley. A gas station attendant found the device and it is thought to have been placed there some time during the night. This is the only such report the Sheriff's Office has received but we want to take the opportunity to inform our residents what a skimmer device is and how to protect their personal information.

Some of these devices are not visible unless the gas pump key pad is opened and some utilize Bluetooth technology and is used by criminals to steal credit card information. The thieves never have to come into physical contact with your card; they merely have to be close enough to capture the data from the skimmer remotely.

While not all skimmers operate this way, all are simply devices added to the pump and connected to the card reader to steal credit and debit card info and defraud the consumer. The Marin County Sheriff's Office offers the following advice to help you avoid becoming a victim of these thieves:

"¢ First look at the overall condition of the gas pump. Is there anything attached to it that appears out of place? Is there more than one card reader? Any visible wires on the outside of the machine? Is there tape holding objects on the pump?
"¢ If possible, avoid gas pumps that are out of view of the store employee. These pumps could be more easily compromised with a skimmer since employees will not be able to see activity around the pump. Use the pumps that are within view of the employee these will probably have a reduced risk of being compromised.
"¢ Check to see if the pump has a seal placed on the access door. If this seal is broken or gone, move on to another pump if possible. It could mean that the pump has been compromised. If the seal is missing or broken notify the employee immediately.
"¢ If you notice anything attached to the outside of the pump that appears out of place or brand new in appearance compared to the pump itself, it could be a skimmer or camera to video your PIN. Externally placed skimmers will allow the transaction when placed over the pump card reader, but will also steal your information at the same time.
"¢ Some skimmers are blue-tooth capable so the crook will not even have to come and get it! Others that are externally attached may have to be retrieved by the crook at some point in time.
"¢ If you see people hanging around gas pumps after business hours or pretending to be maintenance workers, inform the employees or call the police.
"¢ Finally, check your credit card or gas card statements regularly for any irregularities or unusual charges.

Shared with Marin County Sheriff's Office in Crime & Safety

Sergeant Nina Snyder from Marin County Sheriff's Office ·
Photo from Sergeant Nina Snyder

Benefit of daylight savings today. Incredible sunrise. #sunrise #westmarin

Did anyone see or here a huge explosion on Limantour Beach around 6:30pm last night? A surfer out at Drakes Beach saw the explosion and then a huge column of smoke rise up. Very strange. Maybe more flares?

"The Land I Love", watercolors, photographs and ceramics by local artists Barbara Whitt, Michael Whitt and Whitman Shenk. The opening reception is Saturday (tomorrow), Nov 4 from 2pm to 4pm at the gallery in Tobys in Point Reyes. This is a great show, highly recommend checking it out.

Some crazy running race on Point Reyes/Petaluma road right now. Runners and support vans everywhere. Drive safe and slow, it's a little hectic.

A couple of people saw the bomb squad go through Point Reyes yesterday. Here's why. "My husband and I were walking near sculpture beach yesterday and found what looked like two explosives taped together. They read do not touch and had instructions on how to arm them. We were told by a ranger out looking for them that they were probably high powered flares." from Judy Miller who then notified the bomb squad. Glad everyone is safe, great work Judy.

Rain is gone and the sun put on a show tonight out at Drakes Bay. Other people get some photos? (Thx AN)

"There is a high surf advisory starting Thursday. Waves will be very large and dangerous all the way through the weekend into next Monday. Be super careful at the beaches, stay away from the shore, use common sense."

"Today, November 1st from 2 - 5 pm there is one last West Marin flu immunization clinic being held at the Point Reyes Library. The flu immunizations are free as this is a collaboration of Marin County - West Marin Health & Human Services, Coastal Health Alliance, Kaiser and Dominican University Nursing Department." - (thx KR)

Capping a wet weekend off with a mellow sunset and this big old owl. #greathornedowl #pointreyes #sunset

Felt like a rainbow day. This one spotted at North Beach in Point Reyes. Anyone else spot any? (Thx CM)

"Stay away from the steps at the Mouth of Devil's Gulch Creek. There is a HUGE Yellow Jacket nest in one of the stairs. My son and I along with our dog were attacked within seconds and followed us back into the car. Stay away!!!" (Thx KPM)

A Day of the Dead parade makes its way through Point Reyes this evening.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS THIS WEEKEND:
Friday: El Radio Fantastique plays tonight at HopMunk Tavern in Sebastopol.
Saturday: Day of the Dead procession in PR at 5pm
Saturday: MC Yogi's Halloween Party at Tobys at 8pm
Sunday: Pancake breakfast at Pt Reyes Fire Station
LINKS BELOW
El Radio: https://www.facebook.com/event...
Day of Dead: http://www.ptreyeslight.com/ar...
MC Yogi: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mc...

"Let's continue to bring our community together! Join us this Sunday Oct 30th as we join our local Pr. Reyes Firefighters at this year's 30th Annual Pancake Breakfast at the Pt. Reyes Public Safety Building. Come and meet your local firefighters, Sheriff's Patrol Deputies and members of the Sheriff's Search & Rescue Team. Come ride in a fire truck, meet Smokey the Bear, watch & learn the skills of a Search & Rescue team member in addition to many raffle prizes and silent auction. I hope to see you there!" - Doug Lt. Doug Pittman Your local Sheriff (This event supports and benefits the West Marin Disaster Council.)

"Bear Valley Rd closed between Fox Drive and SFDB. Wires on the road by Silverhills Rd." I've also been hearing reports of people having trouble with their Internet connections in parts of Inverness Park. Perhaps related. (Thx CW)

"Heavy rainfall over Marin County is expected Thursday through early Saturday. Except the commute this evening to be a messy one, plan accordingly. Drive slow. Drive safe."

"CHP reports that Olema-Bolinas Road in the vicinity of the Bolinas wye will be closed indefinitely due to a vehicle crash" - via KWMR, check radio for updates...

West Marin bus driver begins new life as a woman after gender reassignment surgery: "Richard Scott Pflug had been many things in his life "” a manual laborer, a Highland Games competitor, a graduate student, a college professor, an underground cartoonist, a sign painter, a school bus driver. He's been a son, a brother, a husband. And, two years ago, he became a she. After gender reassignment surgery, he became a woman named Leslie Richelle Scott." FULL STORY: http://www.marinij.com/general...

So, its raining really hard in Inverness right now. Did not see this one coming. Winter is here.

Accident on PR/Petaluma road just west of the cheese factory. Roads are slick. Drive safe! (Thx DW)

"After a months long search for new owners for their beloved Bay Area bookstore, Kate Levinson and Steve Costa announced that they have selected two experienced San Francisco booksellers to take over the store. Out of 27 serious letters of interest that Levinson and Costa received, they chose Stephen Sparks and Molly Parent. "They represent the next generation of creative and energetic booksellers, and we couldn't be happier to have such capable and likeable stewards for Point Reyes Books," said Costa and Levinson in announcing their decision."
FULL STORY: http://www.publishersweekly.co...

Stunning sunset on Tomales Bay tonight.

Major accident north of Nicks Cove on Route One. Both lanes closed.

"The Board of Supervisors approved reduced speed limits on Tuesday on two sections of Point Reyes-Petaluma Road, totaling three quarters of a mile after the county fielded concerns about speed from Laurel Canyon Road residents. The section of road from Platform Bridge Road to Laurel Canyon was lowered from 35 to 40 miles per hour; from Laurel Canyon to Dam Road the limit will be 50 m.p.h." - via The Light

To support the families of Chance and Lance Argall who tragically died in a car accident Tuesday October 18, there are two options:

https://www.gofundme.com/2ux0x...

and

https://www.mealtrain.com/trai...

Tons of deer on the road, drive safe. This big buck was hit right in Inverness Park. Someone has a serious dent in their car, hope they're ok.

Jetara Sehart, the mother of two brothers who died along with another man in a horrific crash in west Marin County talks about her love for her sons. "My saddest thing is that I could not hug them right now. You know? And just tell them I love them one more time. And tell them that it didn't matter if they didn't have a job tomorrow or their clothes were dirty"¦they needed to just be okay to live here and I wish I could tell them that now," Sehart said.
FULL VIDEO: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.c...

The Greenbridge gas station in Point Reyes will be closed until Saturday for remodeling. Plan accordingly!

"3 people have died following a crash on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. near the Lagunitas Creek in Marin County." Apparently SFD was closed until 5:30am this morning but is now re-opened. Proceed with caution. Unbelievably sad.

Every now and then something on the Internets will catch you a little off guard. Tonight was that night. Naked running guy discovered Point Reyes! There is no nudity at this link but there is some on the site. More power to him! https://nakedmanrunning.me/201...

"West Marin rancher Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak, a veterinarian who runs Devil's Gulch Ranch in Nicasio with her husband, Mark, Kaplan-Pasternak was in Haiti with her family in 2010 when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit, followed by a hurricane, five days of rioting and a cholera outbreak that claimed 1,300 lives. She is planning to return to Haiti in November on an agricultural mission, but she will also be taking donations of money to give directly to Haitian relief organizations for immediate aid to those hit hardest by Hurricane Matthew. Further information on donations for Haiti is available through Devil's Gulch Educational Services, dges.com, or by calling 415-662-1099." FULL STORY: http://www.marinij.com/article...

Rain fall totals for Marin. Looks like Inverness wins the West Marin award. Interesting difference between that and Point Reyes.

Ok, who saw this happening tonight? Wow.

Solid rain in Inverness right. How about rest of West Marin?

DEBATE: District 4 candidates Dennis Rodoni and Dominic Grossi square off at the Dance Palace, Pt Reyes TOMORROW Oct 12, 6:30 PM

"We were at Hearts Desire today 10/11 from 2-5pm and there was a pit bull there that chased my 9 year old child into the water, totally terrifying her and me too. The dog was part or all pit bull, mostly white, named Rex and was there with his very careless owner (who blew by the no dogs sign several times). The owner was a 30 something blonde guy there with a woman of similar age in a large gray truck. If anyone knows them I'd appreciate info as the park would like to contact them. We were there with 5 small children and we feel very lucky that none of them were injured, but all were terrified. Thank you!" If you have any info, leave in the comments or contact TWMF.

Stunning sunset tonight in Point Reyes as the marine layer crept in.

"Significant Rainfall Potential across northern CA from Thursday through Sunday (Oct 13-16), mainly north of I-80. #cawx #bayarearain"

Starting out on the right foot in West Marin today. #sunrise

"Tomorrow morning myself and other deputies who patrol and respond to your calls for service here in West Marin will be stopping for coffee at Toby's Feed Barn in Point Reyes Station. Please join us between 8-10am, share a cup, ask us questions, get to know us on a more personable level than just those faces you see driving through your neighborhood everyday. We want to meet you as we celebrate National Coffee with a Cop (Deuty) Day, Friday October 7th.

I'll be there, and hope you will be too.

Lt. Doug Pittman
* please call me Doug"

"A two-vehicle crash in West Marin injured four people and blocked traffic for nearly two hours Wednesday, police said. The collision was reported shortly before 9 a.m. on Point Reyes-Petaluma Road southwest of the Novato Boulevard terminus, said California Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Barclay. According to the preliminary CHP investigation, the driver of a Toyota Corolla was heading toward Point Reyes Station when a tire slipped off the road on a curve. Police identified the driver of the Celica as Bonnie Guttman, 52, of Inverness. Paramedics took her to a hospital for treatment of moderate injuries."
FULL STORY: http://www.marinij.com/general...

TRAFFIC ALERT - Multi vehicle accident, multiple injuries, Petaluma-Pt Reyes Rd near Novato Blvd., partial road closure.

Another reminder TO SLOW DOWN. "On Tuesday, October 04, 2016, at approximately 12:47 AM, Marin CHP officers were dispatched to a call of a vehicle collision on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, west of Shadow Creek Court, just outside of Fairfax. The reporting party had not seen the collision occur but had heard a very loud crash nearby.
Emergency personnel from the Marin CHP Office, Marin County Sheriff's Office, and Ross Valley Fire Department responded to the scene and located a dark colored 2010 BMW M5 that had collided head on with a large tree on the right shoulder of westbound Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The male driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, was located in the driver seat of the BMW and was unresponsive upon our arrival. The driver was subsequently pronounced deceased by paramedics on scene.
Our preliminary investigation indicates that the vehicle was traveling westbound on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard at a very high rate of speed when the driver failed to negotiate a left curve in the roadway. The vehicle left the roadway and collided with a large tree on the right shoulder which caused major damage to the vehicle.
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard was closed at the location of the collision from approximately 2:05 AM to 5:40 AM while officers investigated the collision.
All information pertaining to the identity of the deceased driver will be released by the Marin County Sheriff's Office "“ Coroner Division upon notification of the next of kin.