Newsgrams: Habitat for Humanity Project in Novato

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Zero interest mortgage, zero down payment—Habitat for Humanity is building 10 Craftsman-style homes in Novato at Mt. Burdell Place near downtown, scheduled to open in the spring of 2016. Habitat’s affordable home ownership program requires candidates to: have the need, the ability to pay a mortgage and to become a willing Habitat partner—which among other things includes donating 500 hours of labor to the partnership. Annual income requirement for a family of four ranges from $40,000 to $55,000. “We sell the homes, we don’t give them away,” said Jamin Sartor McVeigh, Habitat’s development and marketing officer. The Mt. Burdell project is unusual in that Habitat purchased the land. “We use HUD guidelines and have licensed construction workers on site,” McVeigh said. Info: www.habitatgsf.org.

—Joanne Williams

Newsgrams: Board of Supes Approves Housing Element

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The Board of Supes reviewed and unanimously approved the Draft Housing Element plan on Dec. 9 at a public hearing, which addressed housing needs for unincorporated areas of Marin.

The draft, according to a county press release, includes eight existing sites in unincorporated Marin already zoned for additional housing. “The draft is not a development plan,” the press release reads. “Rather, it identifies opportunities that already exist.”

The 2015-2023 planning period identifies fewer housing units than the previously certified 2007-2014 plan. The 2007-14 plan listed a total of 791 homes necessary to meet the county’s Regional Housing Need Allocation, whereas the approved Housing Element will include 378 units. The total units, the press release reads, will include 221 at the St. Vincent/Silveira property east of Marinwood near San Pablo Bay, and 82 units across Highway 101 at the Marinwood Plaza shopping center site.

“For development on any site to move forward, a specific project has to be pursued by the property owner,” the press release reads. “No homes would be approved or built without land owners and developers being required to submit detailed plans subject to thorough review by the county and public input.”

In order to adjust to this new allocation, the plan will maintain a portion of the eight unincorporated sites in addition to a cut in the number of units listed in these sites.

California state law cites that every city, town and county must adopt a Housing Element as part of its General Plan. The county’s Housing Element has been amended and updated five times since state law went into effect in 1969. In the past two years, the Community Development Agency held 19 public meetings to discuss the housing needs of different income groups within the county. —Janelle Moncada

Newsgrams: Should Tour Buses be Curbed on Long and Winding Roads?

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The wheels on the bus may not be going round and round on Marin County back roads as much as they used to, as the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will weigh the merits of a proposed ordinance limiting large vehicles on narrow roads.

According to a county staff report, the Supes are concerned “that certain roads, because of their narrow lanes, topography and substandard sight distances are unsafe for vehicles in excess of 36 feet.”

Not only that, but the Supes have heard a plethora of complaints from neighbors that tour buses traveling to Muir Woods National Park are sometimes going through residential neighborhoods in order to avoid traffic on regular bus thoroughfares. Neighbors, according to the report, are particularly annoyed by the noise and size of the vehicles.

At the Dec. 9 meeting, the Board had plans to conduct an initial reading of the proposed ordinance and set a merit hearing on the proposal for Dec. 16. If the proposal gets the thumbs up from the Supes on Dec. 16, they’ll also that day consider a companion resolution that details which streets will be subject to restrictions and sets penalties for violations to the ordinance.—Jason Walsh

Music: Love me two times

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Music: Love me two times

by Greg Cahill

One of the hallmarks of the modern world is the rise of retro culture—the fashionable AMC hit series Mad Men helped fuel millennials’ fascination with mid-century style; the contemporary string-band movement is giving 20-somethings a taste of old-timey music; the ’90s rockabilly and lounge scenes paved the way for today’s cult of cocktails, ukuleles and all things tiki; and the vinyl revival is in full spin.

It’s a crazy, mixed-up, shook-up world, to paraphrase pop philosopher and social observer Ray Davies.ne of the hallmarks of the modern world is the rise of retro culture—the fashionable AMC hit series Mad Men helped fuel millennials’ fascination with mid-century style; the contemporary string-band movement is giving 20-somethings a taste of old-timey music; the ’90s rockabilly and lounge scenes paved the way for today’s cult of cocktails, ukuleles and all things tiki; and the vinyl revival is in full spin.

And that cross-generational pollination makes it all the easier to buy gifts for boomers and hipsters alike.

Here are a few ideas:

The Beatles in Mono (Capitol): Here’s something fab for the holidays. This weighty box set delivers a hefty helping of audiophile-quality vinyl constituting the entire monaural output of the world’s premier pop band. These 13 discs (including the band’s first 10 studio recordings) provide scrupulously remastered versions of the rare mono mixes, which were different from the common stereo mixes (the band was present for the mono mixes, but not for the stereo mixing), providing added detail and a unique listener experience. The Beatles influenced everyone—after a half-century, these songs still sound fresh.

Bob Dylan & the Band: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 11, The Basement Tapes, Complete (Columbia/Legacy): This six-disc box set, which includes an essay by author, musician and Dylan authority Sid Griffin and a 120-page hardbound book of photos and memorabilia, makes available for the first time all 138 tracks created at one of the most productive songwriting sessions in the history of popular music. (The Basement Tapes Raw, featuring highlights, has been released on two discs and a three-LP set on 180-gram vinyl.) Looking for the roots of the alt-country and Americana movements? They’re grounded in The Basement Tapes—everyone from Ryan Adams to My Morning Jacket to Wilco owes a debt of gratitude to Bob.

Simon & Garfunkel: The Complete Albums Collection (Columbia/Legacy): The angelic vocal harmonies and gentle sounds of this 1960s folk- and folk-rock duo reverberate in the Milk Carton Kids and a host of similar modern folk acts. This box set gathers all seven studio and four live concert recordings that span Simon & Garfunkel’s chart-topping career.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: The Complete Epic Recordings Collection (Epic/Legacy): Guitarists Gary Clark Jr., John Mayer and Kenny Wayne Shepherd have pumped up the volume on their tasty recordings, but Texas axeslinger Stevie Ray Vaughan is the patron saint of power blues. From the lyrical instrumental ballad “Lenny” to the soaring confessional “Life Without You,” Stevie Ray blended his reverence for Jimi Hendrix with his Texas roots to create an enduring legacy.

Bill Evans: The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 (Riverside/Concord): This brilliant jazz pianist performed on all but one track on Miles Davis’ landmark 1958 album Kind of Blue (Evans co-wrote the Spanish-influenced “Flamenco Sketches” and the jazz standard “Blue in Green” from that album) before leaving to form his own band. This classic LP set, complete with alternate takes, captures Evans in concert with bassist Scott LaFaro (who died two weeks after this performance) and drummer Paul Motian—one of the most creative jazz trios of all time. This collector’s edition is pressed on audiophile-quality 180-gram vinyl and includes a poster and new liner notes.

Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression (Chronicle Books): This authoritative 400-page book compiles the definitive history of what was arguably the most influential jazz label in the history of modern music. On the 75th anniversary of Blue Note—and through the use of narrative, rare photos of the artists and reproductions of the iconic album cover art—author and editor Richard Havers chronicles the genre’s social history and traces the evolution of jazz, from the boogie-woogie and hot jazz of the 1930s through bebop, hard-bop, avant-garde and fusion, and right up to the label’s current eclectic mix of straight-ahead jazz and R&B.

Sinatra: London (Capitol): Mid-’60s mod-era London became Ground Zero for swingers, but Old Blue Eyes got the party started in 1962 with an extended visit that resulted in the studio album Sinatra Sings Great Songs from Great Britain. This new three-CD/one DVD box set has 50 previously unreleased tracks and includes studio sessions as well as a 1962 BBC “Light Programme” radio special with introductions to each song by the ring-a-ding King of Cocktail Culture himself, a 1953 live session for BBC Radio’s “The Show Band Show” and a Royal Albert Hall concert from 1984 (the DVD offers a previously unreleased 1970 concert featuring Francis Albert filmed at Royal Albert Hall). Ring-a-ding, baby.

Ask Greg which gifts he’s giving at gc*******@gm***.com..

 

Letters: ‘Twas the stuff before Christmas

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Letters: ‘Twas the stuff before Christmas

So folks, here we is, the Toys R Us time of year with the hyped expectations and hollow promises of new stuff being true happiness and making everything all better! Time to consume, go into debt and buy stuff for other people? Please consider that we are on the environmental edge if not well beyond it. Do we really need more “stuff”?

Here we are, 2014, with endless wars, fracking poisoning the aquifers, Merry Nukes a spewing, tarsands a piping, (you know the tune) GMO allergens hopping, and the commons of nature-ecosystems, being obliterated by egosystems of greed, gluttony, ownership and profit as more valuable than clean air, pure water, or healthy soil.

Perhaps the best gifts we can give, are our actions and involvement in a world worth living in for future life? Perhaps living diverse environments have more value, and are more loving, kind, and generous presents to those we love (and all other life) than a bunch of shiny disposable products, and the resultant landfills and wastelands, black water, brown air and toxic soils, remaining where life once lived?

I wonder what that radical Jesus dude would be doing, or what he would think of the ways we live and treat each other and all life? No food in Somalia? Let’s send cake?

We treat the earth as an unlimited piggy bank and we trade our lives for money and stuff. Too few of us look at the remains, as we drive in circles.

Let’s look in our own trashcans, packed with lifeless “goo” we throw “away” continually. There is NO away, but there are toxic wastelands, dead waterways, and lousy air. Cancel your garbage service.

Do look into our trash, because it IS the future we are leaving. Impossible you say? Seriously, go live with our wastage, and consider the future.

Black Friday, Giving Tuesday, and, what are we giving back? How are we living, treating each other and all life/environments the other 362? Are we indebted consuming Neanderthals on Friday, and repentant givers of money on Tuesday, etc.? What about EVERYDAY?

Please, DO consider, the effectual slaves which make our products, and that bargain price disposable products are no bargain for the water, air, or soils.

Perhaps the best gifts are immaterial, love, community, friendships and not stuff?

Is it time to begin giving back to the environments which sustain all life, including ours?

Why not Merry Christmas, everyday?

Sierra Salin, Fairfax

Letters: Obama had no right to do the decent thing!

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I was delighted to read Carlo Gardin’s letter [“DMV—a Model of Efficiency Until Illegals Took Over!” Dec. 5] in response to Patricia E. Branton [“What Kind of Man Are You? Call Ahead!” Nov. 28]. Her previous personal attack upon him was both hostile and uninformed regarding the issues of illegal immigration. Carlo is right to continue writing on this issue, to help people break through the political correctness that has all but stifled real debate on this issue.

President Obama has definitely overstepped his constitutional authority with his speech on Nov. 20, in which he shielded approximately 5,000,000 illegal immigrants from deportation. The U.S. Constitution clearly states that only the Congress has the authority to change naturalization law, as stated in Article 1, Section 8, Paragraph 4 of the Constitution. Barack Obama has now definitely committed an impeachable offense. He has made at least three previous changes in immigration law using executive orders: his prosecutorial discretion order, the Dream Act order and the DACA order, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Every one of these orders was an impeachable offense but his latest is the worst by far.

The Republicans in Congress now face their own dilemma. In public, at least, they are talking as if they will not impeach. Supposedly, they fear the backlash from the Hispanic vote in 2016, when their biggest goal, of course, is to win the White House while retaining control of both houses of Congress. If enough mainstream Americans rigorously attack what Obama has recently done, I wonder if the Republicans would overcome their fears, impeach Obama, and take their chances in 2016.

Are there any other disappointed liberals out there, besides myself, who believe that it is now time for America to launch a new political party? We need a party that will, among other things, follow the Constitution, care for the environment, reduce the military budget and care about the human needs of its own citizens. We need real campaign finance reform, the lack of which, is the underlying, chronic disease that has created continued, massive, illegal immigration into the United States in the first place.

Kenneth Kelzer, Novato

Letters: Three lanes, no waiting

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To Steve Heminger, president of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission: I am a resident of Corte Madera, and I’m directly impacted by traffic congestion in my neighborhood due to the backup on the Richmond Bridge during commute hours. Please use some common sense and restore three lanes of vehicular traffic on the bridge in both directions. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission needs to start serving the people who are directly affected by your misguided attempt at social engineering. I challenge you to justify the costs, both economic and health-wise, to this insane position. I invite all members of the MTC to sit in traffic along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard during commute hours for one week. I think you’ll benefit greatly from this experience.

P.S. I am an avid cyclist.

Michael Sapuppo, Corte Madera

Letters: Frankly, my dear Nikki, I don’t give a damn

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Sorry, Nikki, I’ve got to come to Rex’s defense [“Good Night, Don’t Let the Race Baiters Bite,” Nov. 28]. You would never refer to an “uppity black guy” or a “rich Jew” or a “silly blonde woman” in the same way. You’re being inconsistent in your use of stereotypes, and that is a direct violation of the liberal handbook. Us old white guys are one of the few unprotected classes in the nation, and are thus open game for negative characterizations. My only saving grace is that I don’t give a damn. But you have room to up your game.

Mike Van Horn, Marin

Letters: Different Strokes for Different Folks

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The FBI is investigating the Los Angeles Unified School District after questions were raised about its superintendent’s communications with Apple prior to awarding a billion-dollar contract for student iPads. Not disclosing a prior relationship to a vendor could lead to wire or mail fraud charges.

Dick Spotswood, in his Nov. 19 IJ column, revealed that the Marin County Department of Public Works had already inked a contract “with Motorola Solutions in the amount of $1,253,507 to provide an upgraded master site controller” prior to the passage of Measure A, although its proponents “promised open-source competitive bidding for the purchase of the new $46 million (plus $26 million in debt service) 700 MHz radio network.”

Across the country, “government officials have handed (Motorola) noncompetitive contracts, used modifications of years-old contracts to acquire new systems or crafted bid specifications to Motorola’s advantage” according to McClatchy Newspapers.

It seems that the camel’s nose is already in the tent and is being stroked by our government officials.

Alex Easton-Brown, Lagunitas

Heros of Marin: A message from Redwood Credit Union

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Heros of Marin: A message from Redwood Credit Union

It is an honor to sponsor the 2014 Heroes of Marin awards. In a county full of residents whose aptitude and determination are testament to what makes Marin such a unique place to call home, we are honored and humbled to celebrate our eight nominees.

This week’s issue highlights our Role Model honoree Emily Sims and our Lifetime Achievement honoree Heidi Kuhn. Here are a few reasons why each hero was nominated for her heroic efforts in Marin and beyond:t is an honor to sponsor the 2014 Heroes of Marin awards. In a county full of residents whose aptitude and determination are testament to what makes Marin such a unique place to call home, we are honored and humbled to celebrate our eight nominees.

Emily Sims: Role Model

Emily Sims graduated cum laude from Golden Gate University in 2002 and magna cum laude with a master of arts from Sonoma State University in 2012. Her thesis, “Social Service and Law Enforcement Responses to Human Trafficking,” has been utilized by West Marin Advocacy, a nonprofit that Emily founded to provide direct service advocacy for survivors of family and community violence and training materials for other nonprofit organizations and public service agencies. Emily had personally experienced domestic violence and sexual exploitation and has chosen to dedicate her initiative and experience to helping others overcome and cope with life during and after abuse. Directly out of college, at age 22, she became a domestic violence intervention advocate with W.O.M.A.N. Inc. at the San Francisco Police Department, working as an advocate with survivors of family violence. Over the next decade, she served as an employee, volunteer and board member at several human service agencies throughout the Bay Area. As a freelance writer she has published essays covering the topics of human sexuality, reproductive health and rights, sexual assault prevention and recovery and adoptive and foster parenting.

Returning to Marin County in 2009, Emily was concerned to find a lack of services for survivors of human trafficking. Drawing from the examples of community task forces in neighboring counties, she proposed the creation of a countywide response to sexual and labor trafficking, with the aim of assisting juvenile and adult survivors. Emily is, quite simply, a role model.

Heidi Kuhn: Lifetime Achievement

Heidi Kuhn, fifth-generation member of a founding family in Marin and a mother of four, established Roots of Peace in 1997 out of her great respect for her mother and her passionate conviction that the earth should be safe for children. She works courageously to remove landmines, the deadly seeds of war planted in the earth, and replaces these seeds of war with roots of hope and sustenance. Roots of Peace has worked in Croatia, Angola, Bosnia, Iraq, and Israel/West Bank, and current projects continue in Afghanistan and Vietnam.

Roots of Peace reclaims farmland despoiled by landmines, partners with American universities to bring best practices for environmentally appropriate agricultural, and assists and educates the local farmers to raise, market and ship high-value produce, enhancing their income at least threefold. These projects promote sustainable agriculture and education (in addition to training the farmers, Roots of Peace builds or enhances schools for children, and replaces formerly mined soccer fields).

Teaming with her husband Gary, who defines and shepherds the agricultural projects, Kuhn has built a dedicated staff and strong partnerships with the California wine industry and the U.S. and foreign governments.

Mrs. Kuhn’s commitment to this cause has been at great personal sacrifice. She continues to participate and support local groups here in Marin, as her heart lies here, and the beauty of her life in Marin inspires her to “pay it forward” and help make life better for someone less fortunate. She truly is a hero.

Newsgrams: Habitat for Humanity Project in Novato

Zero interest mortgage, zero down payment—Habitat for Humanity is building 10 Craftsman-style homes in Novato at Mt. Burdell Place near downtown, scheduled to open in the spring of 2016. Habitat’s affordable home ownership program requires candidates to: have the need, the ability to pay a mortgage and to become a willing Habitat partner—which among other things includes donating 500...
Read more

Newsgrams: Board of Supes Approves Housing Element

The Board of Supes reviewed and unanimously approved the Draft Housing Element plan on Dec. 9 at a public hearing, which addressed housing needs for unincorporated areas of Marin. The draft, according to a county press release, includes eight existing sites in unincorporated Marin already zoned for additional housing. “The draft is not a development plan,” the press release reads....
Read more

Newsgrams: Should Tour Buses be Curbed on Long and Winding Roads?

The wheels on the bus may not be going round and round on Marin County back roads as much as they used to, as the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will weigh the merits of a proposed ordinance limiting large vehicles on narrow roads. According to a county staff report, the Supes are concerned “that certain roads, because of their...
Read more

Music: Love me two times

by Greg Cahill One of the hallmarks of the modern world is the rise of retro culture—the fashionable AMC hit series Mad Men helped fuel millennials’ fascination with mid-century style; the contemporary string-band movement is giving 20-somethings a taste of old-timey music; the ’90s rockabilly and lounge scenes paved the way for today’s cult of cocktails, ukuleles and all things tiki;...
Read more

Letters: ‘Twas the stuff before Christmas

The Stuff Before Christmas
So folks, here we is, the Toys R Us time of year with the hyped expectations and hollow promises of new stuff being true happiness and making everything all better! Time to consume, go into debt and buy stuff for other people? Please consider that we are on the environmental edge if not well beyond it. Do we really...
Read more

Letters: Obama had no right to do the decent thing!

I was delighted to read Carlo Gardin’s letter in response to Patricia E. Branton . Her previous personal attack upon him was both hostile and uninformed regarding the issues of illegal immigration. Carlo is right to continue writing on this issue, to help people break through the political correctness that has all but stifled real debate on this...
Read more

Letters: Three lanes, no waiting

To Steve Heminger, president of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission: I am a resident of Corte Madera, and I’m directly impacted by traffic congestion in my neighborhood due to the backup on the Richmond Bridge during commute hours. Please use some common sense and restore three lanes of vehicular traffic on the bridge in both directions. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission...
Read more

Letters: Frankly, my dear Nikki, I don’t give a damn

Sorry, Nikki, I’ve got to come to Rex’s defense . You would never refer to an “uppity black guy” or a “rich Jew” or a “silly blonde woman” in the same way. You’re being inconsistent in your use of stereotypes, and that is a direct violation of the liberal handbook. Us old white guys are one of the few...
Read more

Letters: Different Strokes for Different Folks

The FBI is investigating the Los Angeles Unified School District after questions were raised about its superintendent’s communications with Apple prior to awarding a billion-dollar contract for student iPads. Not disclosing a prior relationship to a vendor could lead to wire or mail fraud charges. Dick Spotswood, in his Nov. 19 IJ column, revealed that the Marin County Department of...
Read more

Heros of Marin: A message from Redwood Credit Union

Redwood Credit Union
It is an honor to sponsor the 2014 Heroes of Marin awards. In a county full of residents whose aptitude and determination are testament to what makes Marin such a unique place to call home, we are honored and humbled to celebrate our eight nominees. This week’s issue highlights our Role Model honoree Emily Sims and our Lifetime Achievement honoree Heidi...
Read more
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