.Hero & Zero

Hero

Do those books rattling around in your car trunk or gathering dust on your nightstand belong to the library? You kept meaning to slide them into the drop box, but now you owe fees and dread facing the librarian with long overdue materials. “In some cases, people have avoided visiting the library for years because of money owed, and that’s heartbreaking for us to hear,” says director of county library services Sara Jones. Well, Marinites, shelve your shame and return those books, DVDs, magazines, audio books and music CDs during the fine-forgiveness period. Simply deliver your overdue items to a Marin County Free Library (MCFL) branch or book drop, and they’ll automatically waive your late fees during the amnesty program, running now through Jan. 21, 2019. The 10 MCFL locations include Bolinas, Civic Center, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Inverness, Marin City, Novato (closed for renovation), South Novato, Point Reyes and Stinson Beach.

Zero

Visitors to Point Reyes National Seashore recently discovered a dead sea lion with injuries from gunshot wounds. Markings allowed the California Academy of Sciences to identify the animal as a seven-year-old male California sea lion born on San Miguel Island. Sadly, harming the species is a fairly common occurrence, with 700 California sea lions found with gunshot or stab wounds between 1998 and 2017, according to NOAA Fisheries Service. Fishermen receive most of the blame, as the animals often follow the boats, stealing bait and vying for the catch. The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits hurting any marine mammal, but most of the animals are killed out in the ocean. Point Reyes National Seashore requests that you take notes and photos if you find a dead, sick or injured animal. “You are our eyes and ears out in the park, and you can make a difference by reporting these sightings to us.”