The evidence contained in the most recent indictment against Donald Trump should disturb every American. Trump threatened the very bedrock of American democracy.
Knowing he lost the 2020 presidential election, Trump cooked up numerous illegal schemes to stay in power, including pressuring state officials to overturn the will of voters and counterfeiting electoral certificates that declared him the winner.
He and his cronies leaned on everyone they could to carry out their plans, including former Vice President Mike Pence, who refused.
When they couldn’t steal the presidency through phony paperwork or throwing out votes, they rioted on our nation’s Capitol in an attempt to stop the election from being certified.
These crimes are too serious to be ignored. That’s exactly why a grand jury of everyday Americans decided that Trump should be indicted on four criminal counts, including conspiracy against the right to vote.
We the American people choose our leaders, not the other way around. When we go to cast our ballots, we should be confident that our vote will be counted, no matter our political party.
We shouldn’t have to worry about power-hungry officials throwing out votes that they don’t like to try and keep control.
Trump must be held accountable for his crimes, just like anyone else would be, and our elected officials must allow a trial to proceed without political interference.
From Chico, the band Blü Egyptian has gained a reputation for their high energy shows built around extended multi-genre jam with the requisite stage antics. Fusing funk, bluegrass, reggae, world music, rock and EDM, they are certain to paint one of Petaluma’s favorite live spaces in a unique musical kaleidoscope. The band makes their debut in Petaluma for a Widespread Panic Pre-Party. 8pm, Thursday, Aug. 24. The Big Easy, 128 American Alley, Petaluma. $10. 21+.
Napa Valley
Cinema Sounds
Silent films were never silent. Lacking the technology to record and play back actors’ voices, film started with bombastic accompaniment of piano and other instruments. San Francisco’s Telegraph Quartet revives this tradition with Not-So-Silent Cinema. The group will play along with two classic silent films with original music by Stephen Prutsman. Buster Keaton’s comedy, College, is preceded by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a quintessential early horror. 12pm, Saturday, Aug. 19 at Jarvis Conservatory, 1711 Main St., Napa, and 5pm, Saturday, Aug. 19 at the St. Helena Performing Arts Center, 1213-1401 Grayson Ave. $10 and $20 tickets.
San Rafael
Forever 18
Trevor Leopold died from an opioid overdose at 18, just months after graduating from Tamalpais High. His story is hardly unique. The opioid crisis has only intensified with the widespread adoption of fentanyl. ODFree Marin, in partnership with Marin Ace Hardware and The Spahr Center, are hosting a Narcan training to draw attention to International Overdose Awareness Day. The group wishes to “raise awareness of the fentanyl epidemic and to train more first responders around overdose from fentanyl and other opioids.” This is essential training in these complex and often terrifying times. 12pm, Thursday, Aug. 31, Marin Ace Hardware, 180 Merrydale Rd., San Rafael. Free.
Point Reyes Station
Sea Change
Christina Gerhardt and Rachel Brahinsky’s book, Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean, is a remarkable feat. An atlas that shows the changing coastlines of communities most vulnerable to climate change, the mix of science, poetry and visual representation makes for a powerful tool for change. The more people see the visible impacts of climate, goes the thinking behind the book, the greater will be the drive for change. The authors speak on the book at a free event at Point Reyes’ Books. 4pm, Saturday, Aug. 19, Dance Palace Church Space,
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Lincoln Calibration Sphere 1 is a hollow globe of aluminum launched into Earth orbit in 1965. Fifty-eight years later, it continues to circle the planet—and is still doing the job it was designed to do. It enables ground-based radar devices to perform necessary calibrations. I propose we celebrate and honor the faithfulness of this magic sphere. May it serve as an inspiring symbol for you in the coming months. More than ever before, you have the potential to do what you were made to do—and with exceptional steadiness and potency. I hope you will be a pillar of inspiring stability for those you care about.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Live as though you’re living a second time and as though the first time you lived, you did it wrong, and now you’re trying to do things right.” Holocaust survivor and author Viktor Frankl offered this advice. I wouldn’t want to adhere to such a demanding practice every day of my life. But I think it can be an especially worthwhile exercise for you in the coming weeks. You will have a substantial capacity to learn from your past, to prevent mediocre histories from repeating themselves, to escape the ruts of your habit mind and instigate fresh trends.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Jamie Zafron wrote an article titled “To Anyone Who Thinks They’re Falling Behind in Life.” She says, “Sometimes you need two more years of life experience before you can make your masterpiece into something that will feel real and true and raw. Sometimes you’re not falling in love because whatever you need to know about yourself is only knowable through solitude. Sometimes you haven’t met your next collaborator. Sometimes your sadness encircles you because, one day, it will be the opus upon which you build your life.” This is excellent advice for you in the coming months, dear Gemini. You’ll be in a phase of incubation, preparing the way for your Next Big Thing. Honor the gritty, unspectacular work you have ahead! It will pay off.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): You’re entering a phase when you will generate maximum luck if you favor what’s short and sweet instead of what’s long and complicated. You will attract the resources you need if you identify what they are with crisp precision and do not indulge in fuzzy indecision. The world will conspire in your favor to the degree that you avoid equivocating. So please say precisely what you mean! Be a beacon of clear, relaxed focus!
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Unless you are French, chances are you have never heard of Saint-John Perse (1887–1975). He was a renowned diplomat for the French government and a poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Now he’s virtually unknown outside of his home country. Can we draw useful lessons for your use, Leo? Well, I suspect that in the coming months, you may very well come into greater prominence and wield more clout. But it’s crucial for the long-term health of your soul that during this building time, you are in service to nurturing your soul as much as your ego. The worldly power and pride you achieve will ultimately fade like Perse’s. But the spiritual growth you accomplish will endure forever.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Life is not so bad if you have plenty of luck, a good physique, and not too much imagination.” Virgo author Christopher Isherwood said that. I’m offering his thought because I believe life will be spectacularly not bad for you in the coming weeks—whether or not you have a good physique. In fact, I’m guessing life will be downright enjoyable, creative, and fruitful. In part, that’s because you will be the beneficiary of a stream of luck. And in part, your gentle triumphs and graceful productiveness will unfold because you will be exceptionally imaginative.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “You know how crazy love can make you,” write Mary D. Esselman and Elizabeth Ash Vélez in their book, Love Poems for Real Life. “On any given day, you’re insanely happy, maniacally miserable, kooky with contentment, or bonkers with boredom—and that’s in a good relationship.” They add, “You have to be a little nuts to commit yourself, body and soul, to one other person—one wonderful, goofy, fallible person—in the hope that happily-ever-after really does exist.” The authors make good points, but their view of togetherness will be less than fully applicable to you in the coming months. I suspect life will bring you boons as you focus your intelligence on creating well-grounded, nourishing, non-melodramatic bonds with trustworthy allies.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I don’t adopt anyone’s ideas—I have my own.” So proclaimed Scorpio author Ivan Turgenev (1818–1883). Really, Ivan? Were you never influenced by someone else’s concepts, principles, art or opinions? The fact is that all of us live in a world created and shaped by the ideas of others. We should celebrate that wondrous privilege! We should be pleased we don’t have to produce everything from scratch under our own power. As for you Scorpios reading this oracle, I urge you to be the anti-Turgenev in the coming weeks. Rejoice at how interconnected you are—and take full advantage of it. Treasure the teachings that have made you who you are. Sing your gratitude for those who have forged the world you love to live in. You now have the power to be an extraordinary networker.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Tibetan term lenchak is often translated as “karmic debt.” It refers to the unconscious conditioning and bad old habits that attract us to people we would be better off not engaging. I will be bold and declare that sometime soon, you will have fully paid off a lenchak that has caused you relationship problems. Congrats! You are almost free of a long-running delusion. You don’t actually need an influence you thought you needed.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you’re like many of us, you have a set bathing routine. In the shower or bath, you start your cleansing process with one particular action, like washing your face, and go on to other tasks in the same sequence every time. Some people live most of their lives this way: following well-established patterns in all they do. I’m not criticizing that approach, though it doesn’t work for me. I need more unpredictability and variety. Anyway, Capricorn, I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will benefit from trying my practice. Have fun creating variations on your standard patterns. Enjoy being a novelty freak with the daily details.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In July 1812, composer Ludwig van Beethoven wrote a 10-page love letter to a woman he called “My Angel” and “Immortal Beloved.” He never sent it, and scholars are still unsure of the addressee’s identity. The message included lines like “you—my everything, my happiness . . . my solace—my everything” and “forever thine, forever mine, forever us.” I hope you will soon have sound reasons for composing your own version of an “Immortal Beloved” letter. According to my astrological analysis, it’s time for your tender passion to fully bloom. If there’s not a specific person who warrants such a message, write it to an imaginary lover.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): At age 32, artist Peter Milton realized the colors he thought he used in his paintings were different from what his viewers saw. He got his eyes tested and discovered he had color blindness. For example, what he regarded as gray with a hint of yellow, others perceived as green. Shocked, he launched an unexpected adjustment. For the next 40 years, all his paintings were black and white only. They made him famous and have been exhibited in major museums. I love how he capitalized on an apparent disability and made it his strength. I invite you to consider a comparable move in the coming months.
Strolling through the stunningly maintained natural landscapes that combine to comprise the Marin Art and Garden Center is a charming experience.
It invites members of the community to stop and smell the roses—quite literally.
“Due to the wet winter…[the garden] is at its peak in terms of blooms and color. The rose garden is particularly spectacular, also in full bloom,” said vice president of the board of trustees at Marin Art and Garden Center, Ned Purdom. “It is also a beneficiary of the heavy rains, and garden manager, Michael Bogart, expects that we will see roses until November.”
Even in a county as committed to art, nature and especially any combination of the two, it’s hard to believe that the perfect place for a promenade is so well hidden, tucked deep into the rolling hillsides of Ross. Blink for too long on the drive there and it is entirely possible to miss the unassuming turnoff, which would be a shame, as just beyond the gates awaits a world of wonders.
From seasonal gardens to rotating art exhibitions, and all the unique events in between that serve to add texture and character to an already impressive location—everything adds up to make the Marin Art and Garden Center a place in Marin to meander, to muse about life and its meaning or to simply meet up with loved ones and commemorate, commiserate or celebrate an occasion in style in the great outdoors.
“The Sun Garden, situated just below the fountain pond, is in full bloom now, showcasing a mix of perennials and pollinators, many of which are great in dry summers,” Purdom said. “The Edible Garden is producing lots of great produce—much of which is being donated to organizations like St. Vincent de Paul in San Rafael.”
Alongside the Edible Garden, the Marin Art and Garden Center also boasts a basketry garden, a habitat garden, a memory garden, a succulent garden, a sun garden, a propagation area and the aforementioned rose garden, which is indeed blooming beauteously at this very moment, with all 150-plus rose varieties showing off their various and vibrant colors.
The garden center also offers unique event opportunities, such as hosting private parties and events at guest request or with their own programs, like Yoga in the Garden. This weekly happening invites community members to gather by the gazebo on Wednesday afternoons to practice yoga on the lawn with locally known instructor Itzik Laron.
Between yoga, weddings and work parties, visitors may also experience the garden center’s relaxing water features, including creeks and ponds, as well as the featured trees: Dawn redwood, English oak, Magnolia Circle, Mission pear and giant sequoia. Buildings at the garden center include (but are far from limited to) the barn, the gazebo and the Redwood Amphitheater.
“We wanted to create a fundraising event that would showcase the entire property, from the Studio area and the magnificent English oak to the Gazebo lawn, the Edible Garden and the fountain pond and finally to the Livermore celebration area,” Purdom said. “Guests will stroll through the property, enjoying food and drink from local culinary artisans, while enjoying different music along the way.”
The Edible Garden fundraising event will take place on Oct. 15 and offers the community a chance to come out and try various edible delights from the Marin Art and Garden Center grounds. This includes, of course, culinarily intriguing cocktail ingredients and garnishes that can be picked, pulled or otherwise plucked directly from the dirt to be put into a drink.
“We’re very excited to present Edible Garden this year, a one-of-a-kind fundraiser,” director of events Iris Lax said. “Edible Garden will showcase this beautiful property here at Marin Art and Garden Center while we stroll from location to location, savor delicious cuisine and libations from local restaurants and wineries, enjoy botanical cocktails and listen to live music. Truly an unforgettable culinary adventure that will be filled with surprises!”
The current summertime art exhibition at the Marin Art and Garden Center is called “Noble Art.” The “Noble Art” exhibition runs through Aug. 27 and includes work from the College of Marin, its faculty and its students, all of which are closely tied with the garden center, both geographically and in spirit.
“From the opening reception, attended by scores of colleagues and former students, and attendance throughout the run, it is readily apparent that the College of Marin is a very special place for nurturing young artistic talent,” Purdom explained. “There is a long, intertwined history of collaboration between the center and College of Marin. College of Marin art students are weekly visitors to the center, painting the gardens, the buildings and the visitors.”
For the coming autumn season, the garden center has in store the much-anticipated return of its 26th annual Exhibition of the American Society of Botanical Artists. From the middle of September through to Nov. 26, garden center guests can take in local and global renditions of botanical art and artists, all with additional exhibition-associated workshops and classes. The exhibition, classes and more take place (of course) amidst the center’s sprawling garden grounds.
“The work is breathtaking in its detail and scientific accuracy,” said Purdom. “The patience required to produce these works is amazing. While it is an international exhibition, showcasing botanical art from around the world, local artists—and local flora—will also be represented.”
“The International Exhibition of Botanical Art is one of our favorite exhibitions at Marin Art and Garden Center,” said Katy Negrin, who handles the more administrative aspects at the garden center. “The level of detail in these works by artists from around the globe is just breathtaking, precisely capturing botanical features in watercolor, gouache, colored pencil or charcoal. This year…over 50 artists’ work will be on display in the studio here.”
Whether garden guests are simply looking to walk around the grounds, view some art or sit in silence in a peaceful place, the Marin Art and Garden Center is well-equipped for the occasion. So, it’s time to break out those calendars and start to consider what upcoming exhibitions, events and seasonal garden views appeal the most because, with August’s end, autumn is just around the corner.
The Marin Art and Garden Center is located at 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Ross and is open every day of the week from sunrise until sunset. For more information about ongoing or future programs at the art and garden center, or to check out the online event calendar, visit the website at maringarden.org or call 415.455.5260.
Voters and politicians are reshaping America’s marijuana laws for the better. The possession and use of cannabis is now legal for medical purposes in 38 states and legal for adult recreational use in 23 of those.
Unfortunately, antiquated and discriminatory drug testing policies often haven’t kept up with these changes.
It’s reasonable for employers to expect sobriety on the job. But requiring would-be hires and employees to undergo urine screens for past cannabis exposure is invasive and ineffective. That’s because conventional urine tests only identify the presence of non-psychoactive “metabolites”—by-products that linger in the body’s blood and urine well after a substance’s mood-altering effects have ended.
Even the U.S. Department of Justice acknowledges: “A positive test result, even when confirmed, only indicates that a particular substance is present in the test subject’s body tissue. It does not indicate abuse or addiction; recency, frequency, or amount of use; or impairment.”
Studies indicate that employees who consume cannabis during their off hours are little different from their peers. Their workplace performance seldom differs from their co-workers, many of whom consume alcohol, and they don’t pose any increased safety risk.
This begs the question: Why are we okay with policies that single marijuana users out and discriminate against them?
Fortunately, in a growing number of jurisdictions, lawmakers are doing away with these outdated and discriminatory policies.
The District of Columbia plus California, Connecticut, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island—as well as major corporations like Amazon—have amended their rules so that many employees are no longer terminated from their jobs solely because of a positive drug test for THC metabolites.
Lawmakers in other states and localities should follow suit and amend workplace cannabis testing regulations in accordance with the plant’s rapidly changing cultural and legal status.
Those who consume alcohol legally and responsibly while away from their jobs aren’t punished by their employers unless their work performance is adversely impacted. Those who legally consume cannabis should be held to a similar standard.
Paul Armentano is the deputy director for NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Yema Khalif has his hands in a lot of things, but they all center around YEMA. Inspired by a mix of his East African lineage and the Bay Area’s urban style, YEMA is his high-end, Tiburon-based clothing brand co-founded with partner Hawi Awash. I am wearing some pants from the store as I write this.
What do you do?
I work with kids in Kibera, Kenya and Ethiopia when not putting in hard hours at YEMA.
Where do you live?
I live in Tiburon.
How long have you lived in Marin?
About 11 years now.
Where can we find you when you’re not at work?
I love dancing, and I live for family. When not at work or in Tiburon, I am hanging out with the kids in Kenya and Ethiopia. Sometimes, I hang out with the lions in my backyard in Kenya!
If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin was, where would you take them?
I’d take them to munch the burgers at Sam’s Anchor Cafe in Tiburon. Afterwards, sit by the water and enjoy some sea salt caramel ice cream, from Lappert’s in Sausalito. But downtown Tiburon, where the store is located, has a bit of everything.
What is one thing Marin is missing?
Well Nish, you mentioned your love of Ethiopian cuisine. Just like you, I’d kill for a good Ethiopian restaurant in Marin. I could save a ton of gas and toll fees.
What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?
Love thy neighbor like you love thyself. Be kind and spread hope, not hate.
If you could invite anyone to a special dinner, who would they be?
I have special dinners everyday with my wife. She’s pretty special!
What is some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?
How money works. Some financial literacy would’ve been hugely beneficial.
What is something that in 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy?
The war in Ukraine. The war in Yemen. The war in Syria. Just like the wars in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan proved.
Big question. What is one thing you’d do to change the world?
Gather all the corrupt souls and all hate mongers in one basket and dump them in Siberia for 333 years.
Tap in. Yema Khalif is always doing awesome things at yemacalif.com, or find him at @yemacalif on Instagram.
Nish Nadaraja was on the founding team at Yelp, serves on the San Anselmo Arts Commission and attempts to play pickleball at Fairfax’s Cañon Club.
The letter writer dreaming of better treatment of minority communities, even in Marin, can at least dream on, eh? And write letters in angst, I suppose.
If one scratches the very thin veneer of Marin’s well polished progressive myth, one sees that like just about everywhere else, as long as public and private funds and resources continue to mostly flow in the right direction (see up!), those at the lower levels of the “progressive” token totem pole will always be wanting. ’Tis ever thus, no less in “progressive” Marin.
But hey, dream on.
Rand Knox
San Rafael
After Innocence
Our elected officials love to talk about all the “public service” activities in which they are involved. And though some are probably sincere, most feel we taxpayers serve them.
One organization that could use some actual public service is After Innocence (after-innocence.org), an Oakland-based nonprofit organization that saves the world one “exonerated” person at a time. When one wrongful incarceration ends, their work begins.
The organization has so far made free post-release assistance available to 800 people who were imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. Since 1989, more than 3,300 people (representing 27,000 years of wrongful imprisonment) have been exonerated, some with the help of After Innocence, which was piloted in 2014. Needless to say, the exonerated do not leave their former homes with a Lexus, a Nob Hill apartment and a fat 401k.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In Stephen King’s novel, It, a character named Beverly is in love with a man who projects a sense of authority but also listens well. He is strong-minded but receptive, confident but willing to be changed, self-possessed but open to influence. That’s an apt description of the allies I wish for you to attract into your life in the coming months. Whether they are lovers or partners, companions or collaborators, friends or colleagues, you need and deserve the high-quality, emotionally intelligent exchanges they offer.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Seventy-year-old Taurus-born Eric Bogosian is a prolific playwright and author renowned for his hard-edged satire. The title of one of his books is Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead. But one critic speculates he may be softening as he ages, noting that he “seems more amused than disgusted by the decaying world around him, as if his anger has been tempered by a touch of hope.” The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to cultivate a comparable reshaping, dear Taurus. Can you tenderize what has been tough? Is it possible to find redemption or entertainment in situations that have been challenging? Are you willing to add more levity and geniality to your perspective?
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Decca is a UK-based record label that has produced the work of many major musicians, including Billie Holliday, the Rolling Stones and Tori Amos. They made a huge mistake in 1962, though. A fledgling group named the Beatles tried to get signed to Decca. An executive at the company declined, saying, “We don’t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on their way out.” Oops. The Beatles eventually became the best-selling and most influential band of all time. I don’t think you’re at risk of making as monumental a misstep, Gemini. But please be alert to the possibility of a key opportunity coming into view. Don’t underestimate it, even if it’s different from what you imagine you want.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): I’m a Cancerian who used to be overly reactive to people’s carelessness. If someone was in a bad mood and flung a rash insult at me, I might take offense too easily. If a friend misunderstood me, even with no malice intended, I may have sulked. Thankfully, over time, I have learned to be more like a honey badger, whose thick skin protects it well against stings and pricks. I bring this up because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to practice my approach. First step: Understand how people sometimes direct their frustration about life toward undeserving recipients. Second step: Vow to take things less personally. Third step: Give yourself regular compliments. Actually say them aloud.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Now and then, there comes a time when I acquire an uncanny knack for seeing the totality of who you really are. I tune in to everything you do that few others know about or appreciate. I behold the big picture of your best possible future. One of those magic moments has now arrived. And it’s no accident that your energy matches mine. In other words, my power to consecrate you reflects your ability to bless yourself. So give yourself the ultimate gift, please.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the 17th century, Virgo musician Johann Pachelbel composed a piece of music he called the Canon in D. It soon went out of style and disappeared into obscurity. But over 250 years later, a French chamber orchestra rediscovered it, and by the 1980s, it was everywhere. Ever since, Pachelbel’s Canon has been used in many pop songs and is a common anthem at weddings and funerals. I’m predicting a comparable revival for you, Virgo. An influence, creation or person that has been gone for a while will re-emerge as a presence in your life. Be decisive in adopting it for your benefit.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author Iain S. Thomas tells us, “There is magic even in gridlock, in loneliness, in too much work, in late nights gone on too long, in shopping carts with broken wheels, in boredom, in tax returns.” He says it’s the same magic that prompted Joan of Arc to believe that God spoke to her and empowered her to lead an army. I wouldn’t agree that it’s the same magic. But I do advise us all to be alert for enchantment and interesting mysteries even in the most mundane affairs. I am a champion of the quest for holiness, delight and marvels in seemingly unlikely locations. In the coming weeks, Libra, you will have a special talent for finding these revelatory joys.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Poet Rainer Maria Rilke said, “Self-transformation is precisely what life is.” If that’s true, you are in luck. Of all the zodiac signs, you are the most skillful self-transformer. Moreover, you are entering a prolonged phase when your instinct and talent for self-transformation will be even more potent than usual. I plan to observe you closely in the hope of learning your tricks for changing into an ever-better version of yourself. Show us all how it’s done, dear Scorpio!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Born under the sign of Sagittarius, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was one of history’s most influential composers of classical music. His elegant, lyrical works are still widely played today. He was also a revolutionary innovator who expanded the scope of many musical genres. One composition, Piano Sonata No. 32, prefigures elements of ragtime, jazz and boogie-woogie—70 years before those styles emerged. In this spirit, I invite you to plant a seed for the future. You will soon get glimpses of creative shifts that will someday be possible. And you will have an enhanced ability to instigate the inventive momentum that generates those shifts.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s be honest. Most of us—maybe all of us!—fail to grasp the world objectively. Our perceptions get filtered through our opinions and beliefs and habit minds. The events we think we see are shaped by our expectations about them. Our projections often overrule the possibility of unbiased impartiality. We are serial misinterpreters. But there’s no need to be ashamed! It’s a universal human tendency. Having said all that, however, I believe you will have a special knack, in the coming weeks, for observing reality with more clarity and open-mindedness than usual. You will have an unprecedented opportunity to see accurately and gather fresh, raw truths.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Is this a phase of your cycle when you’ll be prone to saying things like “Why do you take me for granted?” and “I’m feeling cranky” and “It’s not what you said; it’s the way you said it”? Or are you in a time when the following expressions are more likely to emerge from your mouth: “I have come to understand you in a totally new and interesting way” and “Life has blessed me by removing one of my unnecessary obstacles” and “I would love to learn more about the arts of cooperation and collaboration”? Here’s what I think, Aquarius: Which way you go will depend on how clearly you set your intentions. Life will respond in kind to the moods you cultivate and the specific requests you make.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Our bodies are imperfect. They are often less than 100% completely healthy. They don’t always do what we wish they would. Yet even when we feel less than our best, our body continually carries out millions of biochemical marvels, mostly below the level of our conscious awareness. As the creation of an evolutionary process that has unfolded for eons, our precious organism is an amazing work of art that we have every right to regard as miraculous. According to my astrological reckoning, the coming weeks are the best time this year to honor and celebrate your body. What does it need to flourish? Ask your intuition to show you.
La Gente SF’s dynamic front person, Rafa Sarria Bustamante, is as much fun to watch as any one is likely to see. From the Bay and now based in Spain, the high energy La Gente SF, influenced by funk, hip-hop, salsa (and more!), is back in the North Bay for a series of shows that may whip up the dance in every body in sight. Catch them 8pm, Saturday, Aug. 12 at Hopmonk Sebastopol, 230 Petaluma Ave. 21+. $20 general admission tickets available at wl.seetickets.us/HopMonkSebastopol.
Sausalito
Sail Away
Board the Schooner Freda B in downtown Sausalito and sail over to the waters in front of Gabrielson Park as a unique way to enjoy the city’s iconic annual event, Jazz and Blues by the Bay. Take in sights around the bay after listening to this weekend’s show, Blues is a Woman. “Six bodacious women tear up the stage in a celebration of blues and blues women” describes the musical. 6:15-8:30pm, Friday, Aug. 11, Slip 465, Sausalito Yacht Harbor. Book in advance. $99 tickets available at bit.ly/freda-b.
Sonoma
Girl Gives Up Voice
The Little Mermaid Jr. is a Disney branded production of the classic tale “about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice to find love.” Though the framing is a little outre compared to more enlightened fare (Barbie, anyone?), the show features young actors, ages of 7–14, in two unique casts with two separate showtimes. It is said that the songs are among the best in the Disney canon. Cast A at 12pm and Cast B at 5pm on Friday, Aug. 11 at the Sebastiani Theatre, 476 1st St. East, Sonoma. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.sebastianitheatre.com.
St Helena
Calling All Artists
The St. Helena Art Mural Project is putting out a call for artist submissions for the first of three planned downtown murals. The first mural, slated for summer 2024, is fully funded by the St. Helena Chamber and the beautification foundation committee. “This art collaboration aims to infuse more life downtown with a mural that we hope sparks curiosity and inspiration,” says Amy Carabba, CEO of St. Helena Chamber. Two to four semi-finalists will be invited to create a proposal and design for the project. Experienced artists across the West Coast are encouraged to submit their qualifications and complete the application by Sept. 29. www.sthelenachamber.com/sthelenaartmural.
If home is where the heart is, then the libraries that serve the Marin County community and its citizens are just that—a home away from home.
Local libraries provide near-endless opportunities for empowerment, enlightenment and enrichment, and they help to place the tools for success right at their patron’s fingertips. Whether young or old, successful or struggling, seeking the answers to life or just looking to check out a book on beluga whales, Marinites can find the library to be an invaluable resource and an intrinsic community fixture that provides a plethora of unseen services and assistance beyond books.
“Our community is a community of readers who value their public library system,” director of county library services Lana Adlawan said. “Community members of Marin have been flocking back to their local libraries, especially since COVID, and you can see they’re just so happy to be in a community space that values reading, education and knowledge.”
Alongside offering an ever-growing rotation of more books than any one person could read in a lifetime, the local libraries of Marin provide programs to promote education, equity and anything else that may fill a gap in what the community needs.
“Number one among our programs is our mobile preschool, a beautiful traveling service called a Learning Bus, where we hire early childhood educators to provide families across the county with education programs in both English and Spanish,” Adlawan explained. “We’re a key education partner in the community, and we’re preparing children and parents, especially in language barrier families, and helping them be successful.”
And though the Learning Bus is essentially Marin’s very own version of Ms. Frizzle’s Magic School Bus for preschoolers and their parents, the program still only ranks second place in terms of adorable education programs provided by the library.
First place for cuteness is reserved, of course, for the Read to a Dog program, where children may come, grab a book and find a furry companion with whom to practice their storytelling (without fear of judgment, given that dogs are as notoriously illiterate as they are adorable). This allows children to gain a sense of comfort and confidence in their reading abilities, away from the possibility of peer judgment.
RESOURCE Besides books and other media, the libraries offer free access to computers and wifi. Photos courtesy of Marin County Free Library.
“We also have technology you can take home, wifi hotspots you can check out, chrome books, tech support, 3D printers for those interested in exploring new tech, citizenship and literacy support for the naturalization process with Spanish-speaking staff,” Adlawan said. “We even check out video games since we really try to keep up-to-date with what all ages of our community need, so we just added a whole number of Nintendo Switches!”
This means children who come from less privileged backgrounds can still access the tools they need to succeed, including books, computers and yes, even games.
“…In our county, the library is here to help [its children] succeed in whatever way we can,” Adlawan said.
Libraries are, to this day, underutilized and perhaps even under-appreciated, considering they are the final frontier of free places to be. In a world of consumerism, where even parking somewhere to take a hike or driving across a bridge to see a friend, can cost more than $10, public libraries offer financial reprieve to those in need.
“We have so many resources,” Adlawan said, “and I encourage everyone to come to the library, especially in the society of today, since it is becoming rarer and rarer for people to be able to come and enjoy the treasure of community in a truly free welcoming safe haven, our libraries—what we do, it’s free, and a gift.”
This safe haven extends to and includes, as it should, the unhoused individuals that comprise a growing portion of Marin County’s citizens. Those without a roof over their heads, who are struggling to get back on their feet, are among those who most benefit from the library’s free services.
“As our mission states, all are welcome,” Adlawan said. “We look to offer an environment that is equitable and diverse. So whether you are housed or unhoused, all are welcome to come and enjoy our services.”
After all, a public place where one may find a reprieve from the elements with the promise of free access to computers and wifi (without being expected to spend $5 on a coffee for the privilege) is essential for those who are without funds but want to apply for jobs. Even more than that, libraries offer a quiet corner where people may come to simply exist within their community, without being expected to contribute anything other than silence, respect and on-time returns on rentals. In this aspect, libraries are Marin’s most invaluable asset, one which should be protected and preserved.
“We did a community-wide survey coming out of the pandemic, and what we heard, from those housed as well as unhoused, is that they felt like they had lost that connection piece [during COVID],” Adlawan said. “The community, they wanted to be in a place where everyone could go, and the library and all its branches have been reconnecting people of all ages and places, and that’s an incredible benefit, for mental health as well, within our community.”
Throughout history, libraries have been called by many names: sanctuary, safe haven, a final bastion of community where capitalism and consumerism can’t reach—but, in the end, all those terms boil down to the same idea. The library is a place where all are welcome, and the hushed whispered greeting of the librarians may as well say, “Welcome home.”
“For me and our library staff, we just want to say thank you for using and loving the public library, and for demonstrating your support for it and our entire team of over 100 full-time employees,” Adlawan said. “All of our doors are open, and we just appreciate that the public appreciates their libraries so much.”
For more information about the Marin County libraries and their programs and resources, which may vary from location to location, visit marinlibrary.org. Visitors can also call any of the locations across Marin in Stinson Beach, Novato and South Novato, Point Reyes, Marin City, Inverness, San Rafael’s Civic Center and Anne T. Kent California Room, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Bolinas or the traveling bookmobile. And don’t forget to check out other libraries, such as the architecturally impressive Mill Valley Public Library.
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