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Upfront: A house divided

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:10:47 PST

"I understand I'm illegal here, and the law is the law, and they have to do their job. But they don't have to treat us like criminals"... Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=1267 posted Friday, November 6, 2009, 3:38 PM

FREE Housecleaning for Women with Cancer

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:11:39 PST

I just got this from my sister, and wanted to pass it on. Sandy Murphey Fighting cancer is difficult enough, but living with it is even tougher - and that's where the Cleaning for A Reason Foundation steps in. This newly formed nonprofit offers free professional housecleaning, and maid services to improve the lives of women undergoing treatment for cancer. Cleaning for a Reason - . http://www.cleaningforareason.org/ If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service Please pass this information on to bless a woman going through Cancer treatment. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

Upfront: A house divided

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:51 PST

Immigration officers escorted a Novato couple onto a plane bound for Guatemala early Thursday morning, ending Elida Perez and Salvador "Sam" Mejia's struggle for the right to remain in the country they have called home for 17 years and tearing apart their family. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3502 posted Friday, November 6, 2009, 12:00 AM

I see the Pacific Sun has made some changes to the Recent Issues page

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:13:22 PST

I rarely have occasion to look at past issues, but while looking for something this morning I noticed that some of the past SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS have been added to the site. Very nice addition! Check it out here.... [http://www.pacificsun.com/index.paper.php]

Best Bets: We pick this week's hottest events

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:21:23 PST

Just as the hit TV show "Glee" has simultaneously exalted and ridiculed high school show choirs, URINETOWN "lampoons musical theater at the same time as it reveals a deep knowledge and love of it." Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=1263 posted Thursday, November 5, 2009, 2:59 PM

Feature: Lights...camera...slow down!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:21:11 PST

You are having a relatively pleasant day, then the mail is delivered and there is something from the San Rafael Police Department. Inside there is a photo of you—taken through your car's window from above—and the notification that you soon will be cited for running a red light. The amount of the fine will be at least $446. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3498 posted Friday, November 6, 2009, 12:00 AM

Feature: Words to live by

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:07:48 PST

"Last words," said Karl Marx," are for fools who haven't said enough." (Those were his last words.) Walt Whitman took a less sardonic attitude. "They are valuable beyond measure to confirm and endorse the varied train, facts, theories and faith of the whole preceding life." Whatever their import, a human being's final utterances—via deathbed, last will and testament, suicide note or tombstone epitaph—can range from the sacred and profound to the droll and defiant. There's something about the specter of death that makes you want to stick around a bit longer, and since this isn't always a feasible option, we take refuge in the spoken word, hoping that a verbal extension of our limited time on this planet will survive our worm-infested corpus delicti. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3482 posted Friday, October 30, 2009, 12:00 AM

Advice for boyfriend who wants to do right thing

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:38:27 PST

I've been seeing this woman for about a month, four dates, we talk daily and email constantly. I really really like her and could see this getting serious. Here's my problem: she revealed to me in a casual conversation over the phone last night that she has a clubbed foot. I don't really know what this is outside of some internet research, but I don't think that quite tells me what I want to know. What exactly is a clubbed foot and is this something that's going to, well how shall I say it, cause me to lose romantic interest at intimate moments?

Behind the Sun: Spirits in the material world

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:08:20 PST

30 years ago Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3421 posted Friday, October 9, 2009, 12:00 AM

Couldn't have paved the road when you had it closed to put the bike lane, could you?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:01:18 PST

They had Los Ranchitos closed for weeks - and WEEKS longer than they said it would take. Then, they open the road for a week or three and now decide to re-close it to pave it. A little forethought would have been a good idea, don't you think? Couldn't they have possibly paved the road when they had it closed FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS the first time to put the bike lane in?

LetterOTW: Hit Piece, Free Speech or Both?

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:22:42 PST

The League of Women Voters of Marin is very disappointed to see that Jonathan Frieman has again created and sponsored a "hit piece" on a candidate for the San Rafael City Council... Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=1253 posted Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 1:38 PM

What Women Want

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:32:11 PST

I'm seeing a lot of interesting stuff coming out of "The Women's Conference", a huge event that took place last week or so, emceed by Maria Shriver, attended by about 25,000 women. Here's just one interesting slice: The question "what do women want" was posed to women across a broad age span. Some of the responses on the web site: "Women want to be judged by the size of our brains and not the size of our breasts or butts." (said by Meghan McCain, a woman in her 20s) Sarah Covert, another woman in her 20's, said "Maybe all those Miss America contestants actually had it right. I value the battles that the feminist foremothers waged for me. I appreciate my rights to work, to apply for a credit card, and to vote, but I really do want world peace..." "What do women want? Women want to be able to do everything. The thing that continues to plague American women � as it has for the last decade or more � is that conflict between choosing one�s professional world and one�s personal world..." (Lisa Ling, in her 30's) "Women want to feel indispensable. Women want to give back and feel needed in return." (Kim Barnoun, in her 40's) "Women want permission to put themselves back on their lists. In a world where we are the caretakers and nurturers of children, spouses, ailing parents, grandchildren and virtually everyone but ourselves, we�ve lost sight of the all-important notion of taking care of ourselves..." (Rovenia Brock, in her 50's) "I can�t speak for all women, but I want to get more sleep." (Arianna Huffington, in her 50's) What do YOU think "women want"? I can ask myself what I want -- but I don't know whether I'm representative of other women or whether I'd want anything different if I were a man. Is there any such thing as an opinion bloc of "Marin women" so that one could ask "what do Marin women want"?

MOTIVE? Discovery is Often What is Not There.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:33:03 PST

In a review of the Town of San Anselmo Ordinance Listing, I discovered that legal documents (Town Ordinances)approved after the 1952 flood were missing. The files where the documents should have been located were out of sequence and looked as though a quick removal had taken place. Are the missing pages of onionskin paper the result of a deliberate purging or incidental disorganization that would only benefit the Town's position in their defense against the Billion Dollar Flood Lawsuit? I let Town Staff know that the documents are missing and that I will return on Thursday morning to see if the Ordinance files are intact and missing documents have reappeared. At that time I will photocopy them so there will be no more inadvertant opportunities taken by government officials to rewrite a disquieting history of their own making. llm

Dining review: Tuscany Country Grill

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:42:16 PST

Tuscany Country Grill is certainly in the right place--a Novato neighborhood that hasn't had a fine Italian restaurant in decades. Whether it's in the right time--as the downtown stews in a recessionary funk--remains to be seen. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=1250 posted Monday, November 2, 2009, 12:35 PM

Some Hwy. 101 Lanes Close Overnight

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:36:04 PST

"Caltrans announced today it will close various lanes on U.S. Route 101 in the vicinity of the Novato Creek Bridge during the overnight hours for bridge repair. "Starting tonight, November 2, 2009, various northbound lanes will be closed between the hours of 11 pm and 6 am. At least one lane will be open at all times. The schedule will continue throughout the week. "Starting Monday night, November 12, various southbound lanes will close between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am. At least one lane will remain open at all times. "The closures will enable construction crews to perform various repairs to the bridge structure. Motorists are asked to remember that fines are doubled in maintenance and repair zones. Please remember to 'Slow For The Cone Zone.'"

Don�t be a backseat baby boomer!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:03:10 PST

An 8-year-old seeks experience. Yours. Experience Corps Marin engages individuals �55 plus� in one-on-one tutoring situations, designed to boost student academic performance, enhance the well-being of older adults, and strengthen community connections. Serve America by sharing your experience and skills to fill the widening gap between students� needs and public funds for Marin County elementary schools. Now more than ever your community needs YOU! Call 415-464-1767 or visit www.experiencecorps.org (Americorps stipends are available through the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.)

Upfront: Ain't nuthin' but a Measure G thang

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:23:34 PST

Embedded in the push for a bond measure in San Rafael are themes—some disturbing—that run throughout Marin. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3466 posted Friday, October 23, 2009, 12:00 AM

Letters: Chiropractor Makes Pain Disappear

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:38:39 PST

Sounds like a smoke screen to us... Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3450 posted Friday, October 16, 2009, 12:00 AM

No Parks Funding? Use Flood Zone 9 Fee money for �Public Enjoyment�

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:11:12 PST
Four issues were discussed at the Flood Control District Nine Advisory Board meeting of Oct. 29, 2009: One: Approval of Minutes of the meeting held March 24, 2008. Public had no knowledge of the contents of the Minutes and does not know what the Board approved by their action. Two: Ross Unit 4 (Fish Ladder) Army Corps of Engineers EIS/EIR completion date is anticipated to be Dec 2011. Construction at the earliest would begin summer of 2013. This is one-year delay due in part to staff reassignment and stricter review process at the Army Corps level. Ross Unit 4 finances are a Federal matching grant process. Jack Curley advised that if the FZ9 litigation ended today and the FZ9 Fee revenue is used for the Unit 4 Federal Project, the Army Corps would not reimburse. It is Mr. Curley�s understanding that even if Ross did the Unit 4 project earlier, it would have to eat the cost. Army Corps is paying 98.5% of the construction costs according to Curley. Town of Ross representative presented a Position Statement that Ross Council wants approved as a Resolution by the Board of Supervisors, all Councils, and sent to Congresswoman Woolsey, Senator Boxer, and Assemblyman Huffman. The Position Statement reiterated a litany of circumstances including a �long history of flooding�, � In 1962, the U.S. Congress recognized this problem and enacted the Flood Control Act of 1962�, In 1971�Fairfax and San Anselmo opted out of the project�, �The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 limited the scope of the Army Corps of Engineer�s project through Unit 4�, �For several years, the Army Corps of Engineers has been conducting required environmental review for the project, including a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report( EIS/EIR)�, ��this process is taking longer to complete than previously represented and senior staff �have been reassigned�, �The project is long overdue and is vital link to reducing the risk of flooding in Ross Valley.� The Position Statement neglected to mention previous activity by the County of Marin against the Army Corps, the 2005 flood event that resulted in the Ross Valley Storm Drainage Program Fee that would timeline after the 1986 legislative event and before the EIS/EIR processing delays. How far will Ross go in urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our elected officials to expedite the implementation and completion of the project work related to Unit 4? If Ross is in such a rush, why didn�t it move forward the project forward for twenty years? What were they waiting for? Stetson Engineering Technical Memorandum No. 1 reveals, �Meaningful flood protection for the Ross Valley will only come about through a suite of on-the-ground projects spread watershed wide that work together�� Should Flood Control District Nine Board be encouraged to limit Ross from taking unilateral control of Unit 4? What fundamental watershed solutions in Fairfax, Sleepy Hollow, and San Anselmo will be implemented or neglected if Ross acts as a solo practitioner? If Army Corps refuses to short circuit its EIS/EIR and Federal grant funding is not expedited, should money be allocated by the Board of Supervisors to complete the Ross Unit 4 (Fish Ladder)? Should Ross and the County of Marin then litigate against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to demand reimbursement because Ross politicians felt compelled to take control of the Unit 4 project? Ross seems ignorant of the reality that Army Corps is impacted by an economic downturn that has restricted staffing, that Army Corps is responding annually to nationwide catastrophes, and Army Corps� stricter reviews of design and construction are a benefit to process and that mitigate future catastrophes, avoid duplication of efforts, and navigate safely through multi-level incompetence. On June 21, 2007, as an observer of the categorization of the FZ9 Fee ballots, Board of Election staff gave Louise Mathews a copy of Tricky Questions/Talking Points. It was a page included with the Ross Valley Watershed United YES campaign material. �The Ross project is funded through older identified funding sources under the 1970s Army Corps matching formula of 98.5% This funding was kept alive year, after year by Woolsey and Boxer (we assume). The Army Corps does not fund projects at this level anymore. Hence, the need to pass a local flood control measure. �All this takes time and a lot of planning. All projects are required to be CEQA compliant and to be permitted by all pertinent state and federal agencies.� Three: Phil Stevens of the Urban Creeks Council (UCC) reported on the Streamside Management Program for Landowners (SMPL). The 5% participation in the program said to be normal. Of the 2,316 streamside parcels, 120 responded. Of those 78 are completed reviews with additional reviews pending. Mr. Steven said he was unaware that some municipalities own the streamside of private parcels and did not advise local public agencies of the UCC bioengineering approach. San Anselmo resident Bob Lewis asked how the UCC program that will affect so few parcels relates to Stetson Engineering activities for the entire watershed. Jack Curley, County Public Works replied, �These are problems that need immediate solutions. People are losing property and the sediment is traveling down the creek and plugging at places. We have to address these problems now. The way we are integrating it with our long-term plan is that we have Matt Smeltzer under separate contract, who is a geomorphologist�a river scientist �to consult with the Urban Creeks Council. Matt is also working on the Feasibility Study with Stetson. So, there is natural integration there because he knows what the big picture is long-term and the Urban Creeks Council expertise is to address these local one-property-at-a-time problems.� Phil Stevens (UCC): �We are building anything that we think is simply a short-term solution. Everything we build should be durable in the long-term and shouldn�t cause problems in the long-term. We are addressing immediate needs with long-term fixes that won�t necessarily fix the entire system, but will certainly be durable fixes for those sites.� Four: Stetson Engineering wrote Technical Memorandum No 1, which addressed four issues from which meaningful passages are extracted. The entire 18-page study is online at www.rossvalleywatershed.org 1. Flooding and flood damage reduction �Detention basins will need to an integral component of any effective flood control system.� (Page 1) 2. Maintenance of the earthen channel Because of the high cost, temporary benefits, and undesirable environmental consequences, dredging is not favorable method for maintaining the channel. (Page 8) {In 2004, 400,000 cubic yards of sediment.} The study will address this issue by exploring opportunities to increase natural flushing of sediment from the earthen channel by means of enlarging the tidal prism. The tidal prism is the volume of water that flows daily into and out of the estuary with the flood (sic) and ebb of the tide, excluding any contribution from freshwater inflows. An enlarged tidal prism would induce natural scouring of the channel bottom sediments, thereby restoring higher conveyance capacity. (Page 9) [Note: The effectiveness of this method depends on sediment transportability; that is, the ability of the sediment to be scoured and flushed by tidal flows.] (Page 18) 3. Creek and aquatic habitat degradation, particularly fish habitat, and, Human-related factors contributing to often inadequate dry season flows in Corte Madera Creek include: � Impermeable surface which increase wet season runoff and reduce recharge to groundwater that later supplies dry season flows; and � direct diversions of water from the stream by submersible electric pumps or groundwater pumping from near-stream wells.[ NOTE: This study will not address this bullet point] 4. Creek utilization for public enjoyment � Construction of creekside trails and linking of existing trails in appropriate areas; � Removal of dilapidated creekside structures � Removal of invasive non-native vegetation and replanting of native riparian vegetation; and, � Enhancement of playing fields and other open areas used for detention basins. The Ross Valley Flood Protection and Watershed Storm Drainage Fee Engineer�s Report, which is the legal document required under Proposition 218 for an election, does not include the added activity of �Creek utilization for public enjoyment�. Creating a public recreation area along the creeks is not part of proposed projects listing. The language �incorporate habitat enhancement� was specified as for the fish environment, not humanity. Should FZ9 Fee revenue be used to upgrade a Town�s creekside steps at a public park or renovate playing fields at municipal parks and public schools because a detention use is integrated into the FZ9 landscape? Should FZ9 money pay for the removal or partial replacement of the impermeable surface synthetic sports field grass when it falls into decay? Should creekside bike trails be constructed with FZ9 Fee revenue? The next Flood Control District Nine meeting is April 2010. For six months, the FZ9 taxpayers have no comprehensive control of the master planning designs on their future. llm

San Anselmo Pol McInerney Refuses to Address his Dark Side

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:58:42 PST
Tom McInerney is a busy guy � way way too busy to respond to an item I posted more than THREE WEEKS AGO (http://www.pacificsun.com/square/index.php?i=3&d=1&t=2078) that questioned his credibility as a self-described �progressive� candidate. Why has McInerney been too busy to address his credibility issue? One reason is obvious: he has been working hard raising more than $28,000 for his campaign, and spending more than $20,000 on four or five direct mail pieces, political signs, and almost daily banner ads on this website. (Pacific Sun editor: how much has McInerney spent advertising on this site?) If McInerney wins 2000 votes (enough to get elected, he will have spent $10 PER VOTE to do a part-time gig that pays $299 per month. Yes, folks, that equates to a dizzying $3588 per year -- ridiculous chump change for a guy who makes more than that in a few hours advising America�s corporate elite. McInerney�s campaign math makes no sense unless McInerney is focused on a much bigger prize that a spot on the San Anselmo Council -� Marin County supervisor, state representative, state senator, or the next President of these corporate-controlled American states.

A Labor Of Love and The Birth Of Creativity: The Hold Outs Debut CD

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:46:42 PST
What�s it like to give birth? Bet you were always wondering that question! Well, as a Rockin� Mom (who went through a non-drug-induced home birth, by the way), I can tell you that it is one of the most intensely painful yet joyous experiences of my life. There is nothing like expectantly waiting for something you have nurtured and created to come to fruition and be brought into the world. The Creative Process is one of wonderment and excitement, but can often be very painful in Spiritual or Emotional realms. When the Muse hits you on the head and puts into your Open Mind & Heart the ideas & motivation to make something Spectacular, there is often a hefty price in demanding much of our Spirits as payment, but on the flip side of that, there is also no other feeling of a COMPLETE RUSH of BLISS; the endorphins, the thrill and the joy of creation is like nothing else ever. A different type of baby is about to be born, one of Rock-a-Bye Sounds and the Fast Paced Heartbeats of Rhythm and Groove, and The Hold Outs, one Of Marin�s Best Rock Bands, are the Proud Papas of the new Progeny, their self-titled Debut CD, �The Hold Outs�. �Welcome, little baby, we have waiting so long for you to be born!� Like most Creative Processes, especially that of the Creation of Music, it can be a long and bumpy road to come to a place of recording a CD or song. From the first inspiration of a tune, lyric or riff; through the crafting & fine tuning of the song; to the presentation to your band mates; to the arrangement & final version of the placement of notes & instruments and then the arduous stage of recording and mixing; you then come to the final Labor Of Love, the presentation of your music to the world to listen to and, hopefully, to love. The Hold Outs began the recording of their CD back in September 2008 and was recorded at various times throughout the year at Mission Bells Studio in San Francisco with the help of longtime friend and Producer, David Simon-Baker. "Working with David Simon-Baker was definitely a highlight, he�s very talented," says Mark Antonio of the recording process. "Being able to finally record our songs in a professional studio (Mother Hips and Jackie Greene also record there), plus finally hearing our songs arranged, clean, crisp, and killer. It�s a totally different experience from playing a show!...We�ve always loved playing music and performing. But of course it�s awesome to have digital proof ." With their 5 EP Disc in my CD player pretty much continuously for the last few weeks, The Hold Outs songs that I know and love from all the live shows I have seen of this Amazing Rock and Roll Band came to life even more and I have been given an opportunity to listen on an even deeper level and explore the incredible songsmith and harmonies of The Hold Outs founders Bart Hacker and Mark Antonio. The solid backing band of Hard Working Musicians Benjamin Trumbo on his drums and Kalyan Godden on his bass fills out this quartet in the Best of Ways, creating guitar driven, American Roots Rock and Roll that holds intelligence, wit and humor. The Hold Outs saved all my favorite songs to put on their new disc. I don�t think they intentionally did that or I am more special to them then I originally thought (Gee, thanks guys!). From the first powerhouse opening tracks of Mark Antonio�s rocking electric guitar and vocals on �Confident Mustache� and Bart Hacker�s questioning vocals with Mark�s ripping guitar on �Big Screen� (at first listen, both are seemingly �silly songs�, but upon multiple hearings, the deeper level of meaning emerges in the words about young men wanting their music to be heard and their presence to be noticed by those around them. We all want to be loved, yes?) to the closing intensity of minor keys, profound lyrics and Bart Hacker's deep and powerful voice on �On The Verge�, The Hold Outs prove to me over and over that their solid songwriting and musicianship are equal to some really well known bands. My favorite track of all I think is �Attention�, the chorus warning �wary lovers� to be aware of the glass worlds they are putting around themselves within their relationships, since it all breaks anyways. The melody and soaring harmonies within that track are flawless. With the help of their CD release party at 19 Broadway on October 9, 2009, The Hold Outs hope to make a place for themselves in the World Of Really Great Bands and the future of their music is now in the Hands Of The Muse of Creativity and she makes the Best Midwife. When I asked Mark if he and The Hold Outs are ready for the BIG TIME, he states "Bring it on! That�s what we�re Holding Out for!" Says Mark Antonio of the finished product, "We are excited and totally proud of the album we created as a group. We are ready to get the CD, and ourselves, out there! And glad people can finally listen to Confident Mustache while they�re driving."

Ruminations on Bar Dancing, Inspiration and Honeydust!

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:37:33 PST
Have you ever wondered what it�s like to dance on top of a bar, spilt beer, quarters & wet napkins under your precious & trusty boots, with hundreds of people below you, watching you, thinking you are some Hot Shit because you�re, well, dancing on top a bar? It�s a pretty phenomenal feeling; in my opinion it�s up there with going to Disneyland or having your first kiss. Imagine if you will, a hot, jiving bar; dark and smelling of booze, sweat and smoke. People are gyrating and grooving to some Hot Band cranking out sweltering tunes on stage and you have the BEST view in the whole damn place. You are up high, you see above all the heads and drunken tall people and you feel as if everyone below you worships you because you are brave enough to show off your stuff on top of a bar. You sway, you shimmee, you try not to bash your head on the ceiling; you try to act so cool. The guys are drooling, the girls are too�and you know what? You ARE some Hot Shit, because not too many people are brave enough to dance on a Bar Top. But I did it! Yep! ME! I danced on a bar, I did, I did, I really did and it was pretty fucking awesome! I am now a changed woman from my Bar Top Shenanigans and I will never be the same again, the afterglow is still on my sweet face. But there was deep inspiration behind this HUGELY dramatic feat in my life, the band Honeydust. Let me just say that Bar Top Dancing & Honeydust go hand-n-hand, like Whiskey & Honeydust, or Good Weed & Honeydust or Shaking My Sweet Thang & Honeydust. OK, just about anything and Honeydust works for me! Honeydust, one of Marin County's Rocking-est, Kick-Ass, Old-Time Rock & Roll Band to shake my Inner Yaya�s since I don�t know when! Sweet talking front man Darren Nelson�s project with his trusty sidekicks in shit-kicking, Danny Uzilevsky (Chrome Johnson) making magic with his eternally phenomenal guitar playing; Michael Weiss hitting me hard with his throbbing stand up and electric bass; Lee Bittner skinning his drums like a trapper and Jon Korty (Vinyl, Jon Korty & Friends) cranking out some serious Keyboard Kraziness and Harmonica Heroism. There is a story to tell about these 5 men who make incredible Rootsy-Americana-Country-Twang-Rock-N-Roll kinda music. I kind of liken them to Tom Petty or the Eagles; great songwriting & great musicianship. Each member of Honeydust contributes much to the Honeydust Vibe to make a complete circle of sound. In their own words, I let them tell you the story of Honeydust, plus a few random facts about themselves that their Mother�s may not even know. I now present you�with Honeydust! DARREN NELSON: Guitar and Vocals. SIGN: Sagittarius. FAVORITE COLOR: �I like every color for different things but manly Black is my favorite rock and roll color. Blue is my favorite color to drift off into. Red is cool on an old hot rod and on a Gibson Firebird. Yellow looks great in a kitchen, Purple looks great on Jonathan, brown is my favorite color for a pretty girls eyes (unless they are crossed, then I like green).� BAND MEMBER WORSHIP: I like being me. (no offense boys) IN HIS OWN WORDS: �Honeydust came out of playing a regular gig at Peri's with Donny Gallardo, the singer from my last band "The Fitts." It was an acoustic thing that we were doing every Tuesday or Wednesday. It wasn't called Honeydust, in fact, it wasn't called anything, but that was when I met Mike Weiss. He rolled in with his gigantic upright bass and asked (politely) to sit in. Mike is so charming! Couldn't say no. Lee Ray Bittner was also a casualty of �The Fitts�. He and I have been playing music together for 6 or 7 years now. Anyway, Donny G. left for fame and fortune in La-La Land and I was over playing Quietly, so I recruited Joey Midnight. Had a brief stint with another bass player who was awesome but regretted asking Mike to step down (another story). He and Joey lasted about a year. Joey was a great guitarist but had many directions he needed to go before settling down as a guitarist for HoneyDust. When he left I thought I'd just hang around and wallow for a while. I was questioning everything that I had worked so hard for and believed in but within just a few days Danny Uzilevsky got in touch and said, "Don't give up lil brotha!" Coincidence or not, Jonathan Korty wound up at my house the very next day with the same suggestion. Mike Weiss had a birthday coming up and said, "For my birthday I wanna jam with HoneyDust!" So I asked Danny and Jonathan and the rest as they say is...� HONEYDUST DEFINITION: �It's Sweet & Dirty Rock and Roll! (...and sex powder) but mostly the Sweet & Dirty bit.� HONEYDUST DREAMS: �I wanna house with some land and a barn to covert into a studio for art and music. I want to have everybody I love around me making art and music always and all of that because of the success of HoneyDust!� DANNY UZILEVSKY: Guitar and Vocals. SIGN: Aquarius. FAVORITE COLOR: Blue IN HIS OWN WORDS: �Darren and I had been working on a rock opera, "The Riverside Kings" after both our bands kind of imploded, so we were used to working with each other & encouraging each other. I always thought HoneyDust had a lot of potential and wished I could get my Rock-On with them. I was happy when we finally got it together, because I love these guys...great band and great friends. As Darren said, once we had the right motivation, it all just kind of fell into place. The greatest Honeydust moment in time has yet to come... I'll be happy when our CD is finished and we can take it to a National touring level. I think the world desperately needs Honeydust!� HONEYDUST DEFINITION: �I believe it is a reference to a "sexy body powder" that takes things to a new level of "sexy"... I believe it will come to mean a whole lot more in the near future.� HONEYDUST DREAMS: �That Honeydust will bring back that "classic" rock sound for a whole new generation to enjoy. I think the music scene is practically screaming for what we're doing!� JONATHAN KORTY: Keyboards, Harmonica and Vocals. SIGN: Virgo. FAVORITE COLOR: Purple BAND MEMBER WORSHIP: �I would like to be Darren cuz he's just so damn sexy!� IN HIS OWN WORDS: �I am most recent member of band & I used to sit in on harp with them at 4th Street Tavern and I told Darren I wanted to rock! I got The Call and said 'Hell to the YEAH!' My fave Honeydust moment may have been playing bass for a night up at the Caspar Inn on a night that Mike couldn�t make it.� HONEYDUST DREAMS: �I think we are destined for a Tarantino movie soundtrack and Mythical Rock Fame.� LEE BITTNER: Drums. SIGN: Virgo. FAVORITE COLOR: �Burgundy. First it was blue, then it was green, went through a short purple faze and now burgundy... yes burgundy it is I think� BAND MEMBER WORSHIP: �No silly! If I was someone else in the band, then that means I or someone else wouldn't be there and that wouldn't be Honeydust now would it? But seriously, to make that possible one would probably have to find a worm whole or be able to create an electromagnetic field so powerful it might tare the fabric of the space time continuum & it could send one of the swapping life forms to another dimension or cross-dimensions possibly, you know all that kinda stuff. So even if I did want to be someone else in the band, my personal opinion is it would be too dangerous to attempt. Furthermore, I think here in this Dimension, one of the lessons of our species is to embrace the self & shed our insecurities. Once you can be conscious of that, you can begin to love others and be a good partner for someone else truly. With all that said I wouldn't mind giving a go at shaking my bum on stage a bit�lalalala and all that. It can be a bit lonely behind the kit. I always miss the girls flashing me back there...� IN HIS OWN WORDS: �When did I join the band? Well, I forget the date but it was just after the Revolutionary War. Washington just gotten his wood teeth and Ben Franklin and I were partying a lot back then. That guy is a Mad Man and super smooth with the ladies. Well, ol' Ben introduced me to Darren and we hit it off immediately. We had hung out a couple times upon our first meeting, but after the Boston Tea Party we were like two peas in a pod. Shortly after that, we started playing music and it morphed into Honeydust. It�s been all Liberty & Justice For All in the name of Rock-n-Roll since then.� HONEYDUST DEFINITION: �Darren and Joey Midnight came up with the name at a lingerie party at the Pint Size Tavern while sitting on the hood of a Camaro or something if memory serves. I think the consensus was that it just sounded cool, contextually fit and in some way represented our sound & personalities; super sweet and lovey with a dirty underbelly Just like us. Perfect!� HONEYDUST DREAMS: �I envision our path running right through my yard. All I could ever hope is for success, love, fun and health all that good clich�d stuff. First band to play on the moon works, too.� MICHAEL WEISS: Stand up & Electric Bass. SIGN: Libra. FAVORITE COLOR: Freckles BAND MEMBER WORSHIP: �If I could be anyone in the band I would be me, only more talented & better looking.� IN HIS OWN WORDS: �I was playing on the patio with �The Billy Boys� after the Fairfax Festival on a warm Sunday. It was a particularly fun gig with lots of people and I was in the early stages of a romance with my Upright Bass. I was also allowed to SING with �The Billy�s�, (my previous band, �Jesus Martini� actually took away my singing rights...Bastards!) and I was, by far, (at least I thought at the time), the coolest Upright Bass Player on the stage.... let�s just say I was feeling it. Anyway, Donnie Gallardo, Darren, Lee Ray and Joey Midnight had a regular Wednesday Night Gig at Peri�s. Donnie asked me if I would sit in with them that coming Wednesday. Well, I showed up with my upright and a cord & asked where the bass player's rig was so I could plug in and Darren looks at me and says "Your it! Where is your amp?" I went back home and got my amp and played all night with these guys, faking through the songs. It was a total blast and we started every Wednesday till Donnie left. But, we weren't very cool until Darren took over on lead vox. His songs were the best and we faked through a bunch of covers. We never rehearsed until we reincarnated with Danny Uzilevsky and Jonathan Korty. We were a highly improvisational band; frequently we would try a song we never played at a live show! It was like a train wreck in paradise! When it was good, it was magic. But eventually someone would get hurt.� HONEYDUST DREAMS: �I want to go on tour opening up for Tom Petty or U2 then I want Honeydust to be the musical guests on SNL and do all the talk shows. I would want to be the hottest band in the world after that. Then I would want to travel to other planets and be the hottest band in other galaxies as well. After that I would want the band to be cryogenically frozen and thawed out for 2 days a year, every Fairfax festival in the years 2100 through 2150, when they actually find a way to reverse the aging process take us back to our 20's and do it again.� So there you go, inspiration begets inspiration. Creativity begets creativity. Be it making great music or dancing on a bar, I say take your inspiration whenever and wherever it comes from! AWESOME PHOTO BY GARTH PARR!

Architect Lawrence Halprin dies

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:46:01 PST
Nationally recognized Bay Area architect, Lawrence Halprin, died Oct. 25 of natural causes at the age of 93. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=1238 posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 10:52 AM

Endorsements: The Larkspur challenge

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:41:52 PDT
The city of Larkspur has three council seats open with four candidates on the ballot, including two incumbents—veterans Joan Lundstrom and Daniel Hillmer. The two challengers are real estate attorney Len Rifkind and chair of the city's planning commission Chris McCluney. Read the full story here http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=3442 posted Friday, October 16, 2009, 12:00 AM

Hillmer and Lindstrom Million Dollar Wall

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:27:21 PDT
In 1997, the City of Larkspur commissioned an engineering report �for the rehabilitation of the failing retaining wall at the corner of Myrtle and Hawthorne Avenues in Larkspur�, CA. What was a $135,000 to $155,000 retaining wall replacement project in 2002 ended up costing the taxpayers and insurance company over $1.1 million. Eight years later, Hamid Shamsapour, Director of Public Works, recommended in 2005, that the City "do nothing". Four months later, a landslide occurred in 2006 that broke a gas line on two occasions, continuously pulled open a sewer line, and required the upslope neighbors to install 10 drilled concrete piers to protect and support the adjoining building and land. The City then refused to take responsibility for any damages, and lawsuits to recover those damages were filed against the City. In 2005 Council member Joan Lundstrom noted the existing walls were obviously rotted, and still voted to accept Director of Public Works, Hamid Shamsapours� staff report recommendation to �do nothing�. One of the defining moments of this situation was Dan Hillmer's comment in 2004,"I think we should cut our losses and go to court." By taking these actions, the City Council refused to take responsibility for infrastructure taken, according to law, into the City Street System by a resolution of the Larkspur City Council in 1963. In June 2006, the City applied for FEMA disaster funding, claiming "legal responsibility" for the retaining walls (Federal statutes require an applicant for public grant money to be "legally responsible" for the property or structure for which they are seeking funds). In August 2006, the City initiated litigation against the adjoining property owner for damages to the City caused by the failure of the same walls for which the City was simultaneously claiming "legal responsibility". City Manager Jean Bonander was then at the center of City efforts to claim California State Office of Emergency Services and FEMA grants while countersuing the adjoining property owner for the apparent purpose of possibly obtaining homeowner's insurance funds from the property owner's insurance company. The City was expending taxpayer dollars for the Department of Public Works to claim responsibility for the walls to pursue obtaining FEMA grant money while simultaneously expending taxpayer dollars to pay City Attorney Meyers Nave to deny City responsibility for the same retaining walls. The City Council continued this lawsuit for almost two years, using the virtually unlimited City funds to litigate against one of its own constituents. The financial result of these actions were: From 1997 through 2003 the City spent over $60,000. in staff time, attorneys fees and engineering consultant fees to determine responsibility for the retaining walls and to design repair and replacement plans. In 2007-2009, he City received a $50,000. "management fee" to administer the construction of the $440,000. replacement retaining wall that was paid for by all US taxpayers from FEMA funds. In 2009, Meyers Nave, according to their accounting, received over $222,000 in fees and costs which they represent as "Actual cost to City $00.00" because this expense was paid for by the Bay Cities Joint Powers Insurance Authority. The taxpayers fund the BCJPIA. The City paid the adjoining property owners over $245,000. to settle claims for attorney's fees and damages. The homeowner's insurance company, expended over $69,450. for attorney's fees and paid the City an additional $17,500 to drop the countersuit. Total costs to the taxpayers and the taxpayers' insurance company: FEMA $490,000. Meyers Nave 226,000. Insurance Attny 69,450. Insurance Settlement 17,500. Damages Paid Out/ City 245,500. City Staff Time/Plans (est.) 60,000. ---------- Total $1,108,450. Frank McClain Larkspur, CA