At 4:20 pm planes may have to be re-routed for smoke that doesn’t come from a volcano. Ladies and gents, it is Marin’s only holiday claim-to-fame, 420 Day. Now cool parts of the world like Boulder, CO, Canada, and New Zealand celebrate it. Back in 1971, some kids from San Rafael would meet at 4:20 pm by the Louis Pasteur statue. Maven doesn’t condone doing anything illegal, but it is hard to ignore this homegrown holiday especially when California is going to be voting on legalizing and taxing Marijuana in November. The California Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2010) website states that the initiative:
Allows people 21 years old or older to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use. Permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana to people 21 years old or older. Prohibits people from possessing marijuana on school grounds, using it in public, smoking it while minors are present, or providing it to anyone under 21 years old. Maintains current prohibitions against driving while impaired. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major tax, fee, and benefit assessment revenues to state and local government related to the production and sale of marijuana products.
People who are going to use and abuse drugs are going to do so whether or not there are laws. People who toke at work will be treated like people who drink on the job. People who get high behind the wheel will be treated as if they drink and drive. It is still a crime for persons under 21 to possess, grow, or use Marijuana. Parents are not allowed to smoke in front of their kids.
Prohibition and the War on Drugs have not really worked and have been costly in terms of resources, money, and lives. All these laws haven’t curbed demand nor abuse.
Wouldn’t it be cool to free up prison space for violent offenders and focus attention on real crimes?
Oh, for the rest of us mundanes, 4/20 (Today) is the date for an Adams vs. Mazzoni debate at 7pm at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center (200 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael).
Thanks to marinenergyfreedom.org we have audio of PG&E CEO, Peter Darbee talking about the real reason they are pushing Proposition 16. I will give you a hint — it’s not about giving voters a say who generates their energy. It is all about PG&E putting a halt to community power or any competition at all.
Maven had lunch with some longtime friends last weekend and conversation turned to Gavin Newsom, a candidate for Lt. Governor. One friend observed that when she saw him on television or his picture in print, Newsom is just “good looking” or even “handsome.” Disturbingly, when she meet him in person his charisma was sparkly (or had a Fairydust quality) and she basically confirmed what happened when I saw him in person. His charm bypasses your normal higher brain faculties of logic and critical thinking, and sneaks in and tickles your brainstem.
I felt like we formed an instant support group of those who have had a Newsom-experience and it feels great to know:
1. I am not alone
2. Maintaining a safe distance from Newsom can help.
Right now I am at a safe distance way up here in Northern Marin and I feel somewhat free to be critical of him.
Soon after this conversation I found my Gavin Newsom stainless steel water bottle he was giving out at the California Democratic Convention in Sacramento last year. My husband pointed out that if it said “Gavin Newsom for Governor” it be worth something, but it only says “Gavin Newsom.” “Gavin Newsom” for Governor is so very 2009 — too soon to be nostalgic.
I guess it is pretty smart to just put your name on campaign trinket if you are going to run for more than one office. Speaking of that, Dick Spotswood offers some juicy speculation.
Representing the Marinwood Association, I attended Marin County’s Public Workshop on Non-Motorized transit projects in the Marinwood/Lucas Valley Corridor. As you know I find this stuff actually interesting — the nuts and bolts of creating plans that will make things easier for a community. I found it was a great opportunity to give input from the perspective of living in the area and speaking with neighbors. While I have plans to write up about the actual content of the workshop, the appearance of both candidates for Marin County District 1 kind of distracted me and a few others who were aware of the race.
Dave Green was introducing Kerry and I got to introduce myself. Not only was I one of Directors of the Marinwood Association, but I blog for a Marin politics and SFGate’s In Marin. She gave me a contribution envelope with her contact information and I gave her my card. There was a mention that I could put money in the envelope, but I responded that I hadn’t made up my mind yet, and that was true. It was an okay first impression.
Susan Adams 1
When Susan Adams came in parts of the room were in flutter mode. Both candidates gave each other wide berth keeping to the opposite sides of the room. Susan kicked off the meeting showing she had a command of non-motorized projects in our part of the county and county wide. Mazzoni could only ask the County representative if they have polled residents about what they wanted, even though this night introduced no new plans and only showed existing conditions. The night was asking for public input. If she had been around our part of the woods, she would have known that safer streets have been a discussed topic for sometime. A year or two ago, residents were given a questionnaire about their priorities for working on area routes. Tonight would have been a great opportunity for Mazzoni to hear what people had to say about various sections of road, but she left early. Susan stayed, participated, talked with people — including The Maven.
I will have more to say about this exciting race in other posts.
It turns out that Monday night’s blackout that started at 8:20 pm was due to a power pole snapping on 101 and Alameda del Prado. PG&E’s explanation for 4/12 power outage was that the pole and guide wires had sunk into saturated soil, moisture corroded wires, and wind toppled pole. It seemed to hit pockets of Marin County. I heard people in Novato and Central San Rafael experience flickering of power, while those in Marinwood and Terra Linda (apparently other cities in Southern Marin) were definitely in the dark for hours. Marinwood came back on line at Midnight.
Maven tried out using her solar lawn light as back up light to find where the flashlights and candles are. Be advised that the better strategy is putting your flashlights back where you can find them first, but solar lawn lights work in a pinch.
My blackberry worked like a charm and we were able to share information via Twitter and I could get the number of PG&E via their website on my phone and call them. Smartphones are not only sparkly, but they can be useful.
Local television show Marin Voices and Views has come up with a very good segment in regards to Proposition 16, the Marin Energy Authority, and PG&E. This is just one part of many posts I will be making about this Proposition. I invite you all to watch the whole thing and let me know your thoughts about it. In the next couple of months, Marinmaven will be sharing what can be found about Proposition 16, so you can be equipped to vote and help others vote.
Gavin Newsom. When I listen to him I agree with so many of his positions in terms of universal health care, prison reform, early childhood education, and regulation again predatory banking that keeps people in poverty. He glistens with seemingly earnest passion.
He then finds my weak spot as he quotes Bobby Kennedy. There is this “too good to be true” aspect to him that forces me to find someone in my old hometown of San Francisco to talk me down from being totally in-the-tank over him. I am tough on him because his charms sneak past my higher brain functions into the lower brain-stem. If my knees go weak when I see a candidate, I immediately distrust him.
On March 12th, Gavin Newsom announced he was running for Lieutenant Governor. Both our local representatives, Mark Leno and Jared Huffman have endorsed this run. If Gavin wins the seat that was vacated by John Garamendi, this will open up new possibilities for Leno and Huffman. This isn’t entirely new news, since I pointed out rumors of this on Huffman’s birthday post. Just in case you missed it, here is how more and more people think that this will play out. Newsom’s win statewide will open up the San Francisco Mayor seat, which could very well go to Mark Leno. This will release the State Senate seat in District 3, which can go to Assemblyman Jared Huffman who is in his last term.
If you are bothered by this musical chairs, blame term limits which continues to be a terrible idea.
The next logical question is can Newsom win statewide office? Is the office of Lieutenant Governor innocuous enough for folks who disagree with his stance on same sex marriage to vote for him? Will he be able to explain away why he dropped out of the race for Governor to spend more time with his family only to get back into a contested race for Lt. Governor? Will his opponent, Janice Hahn have the advantage being from a more densely populated Southern California? Given there still may be democrats that blame him for losing the 2004 presidential election by his stance on Gay Marriage too soon, has enough time passed where that is not an issue? I don’t know the answers to these questions.
What do know is what Newsom talked about last April at the California Democratic Convention in Sacramento when he was running for Governor. He stated to a group of bloggers that based on his travels around the state, central Californians were open to him despite his stance on gay marriage. Newsom told us that what mattered to the folks in the interior was jobs. That would be true if we lived in a rational world. Instead we live in a post-rational world where people will consciously vote against their own best interests to make sure laws won’t turn their children gay.
His stance on Same Sex Marriage is one I will always admire. Newsom stepped up and declared that justice delayed is justice denied and made a bold move to legalize gay marriage in San Francisco. The next generation will grow up and see their parents and the politicians they supported be weak willed when it came to their fellow citizens’ civil rights. Gavin can at least tell them he was on the right side of this issue.
Personally, I would prefer someone from Northern California in the Governorship and Lt. Governorship, because power is too skewed to Southern California. So I remain cautiously open-minded to Newsom.
On Friday, March 26th, Sonoma Latina Grill will be hosting a Seafood Paella and Wine under the tent from 6:30 to 8:30pm. They are located at Hamilton Market Place on Nave Drive in Novato. Maven loves their food.
This is the moment captured when health care reform passed last night. After all the republican lies that have got many people to fight against their own interests, we finally have some real reform. Sure it is a moderate and incremental plan which falls short of a single payer system I favor, but I will still take it as a win.
For those who think that this costs too much money, where were you when Bush Junior doubled our debt without helping the American people (except for ultra-rich Americans)?
Thank you Mister President and way-to-go for our Ms. Pelosi.
Every year, at the end of March, we always look forward to the Little League Opening Day Parade which starts with the sound of a firetruck siren. We always try to stand outside with our son and wave. This year our son will be among those kids.
March 20th will be the opening day of Dixie Little League. To kick off opening day, residents of Marinwood, Lucas Valley, and Terra Linda will be treated to a parade of trucks with T-ball to Majors team Little League players. The parade will start at 8 AM at the Marinwood Shopping Center and end at 10:30 AM at Vallecito School in Terra Linda. There will be a photo day, a ceremony in the Vallecito gym, and other fun activities planned. Organizers expect about 600 people to attend.
Dixie Little League still has room for Tee Ball players and Junior League Players (13-14 year olds) and you can sign up here. The League has also posted a list of sponsors, and are looking for more. If you would like to sponsor Little League contact Nancy Miller or call 342-1209.
On May 2nd, there will be Little League Day at the Giants AT&T Park, which is an annual group event. They will also have a Dinner Dance Auction Event on May 15th at the San Rafael Elks Club in San Rafael.
The Little League Season ends on June 5th with a Closing League Picnic and Awards Day at the Vallecito and Saint Mark’s Fields.
The 9th Annual Tiburon International Film Festival will be opening with an Italian/Albanian comedy, East, West, East: The Final Sprint on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 7PM at the Playhouse Theater [40 Main Street, Tiburon] . Directed by Gjergj Xhuvani and set in 1990, East, West, East the film follows an Albanian cycling team as they head to affluent Western Europe. They get as far as Trieste, when they learn that their country is in full blown revolution via their hotel room televisions. With the welfare of their families and the existence of their country in question, they must find help to return.
The film will be followed by an opening gala at the Corinthian Yacht Club [43 Main Street, Tiburon] at 8 PM. The gala will feature music, entertainment, and food. It is $65.00 for both the film and the gala, $50 for the gala only, and $20 for just the film.
0n Friday, March 19, 20 there will be a party for the attending filmmakers at Sam’s Anchor Café at 27 Main Street in Tiburon starting at 6 pm. Tickets are available at the door, or call: (415) 789-8854.
PG&E wants you to amend the state constitution this June so they will never have to worry about any competition ever again.
On the June 8, 2010 voters will see a PG&E backed proposition on the ballot, Proposition 16. According to Ballotpedia, Prop 16 will require a 2/3 vote of local voters before any local government establishes a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, use public funding to implement a plan to become a CCA provider, or even expand electric service to new territory or new customers. If Proposition 16 passes, it will put a 2/3 road block for municipalities who have already made a choice for community power to buy more equipment that might be seen as an expansion of electrical service.
The timing of this proposition is not lost on many as San Francisco and Marin County have chosen Community Choice Aggregation, due to a vigorous grassroots effort of citizens and careful deliberation by local governments.
PG&E cynically calls Proposition 16 the Taxpayers Right to Vote Act on its Facebook Page. Taxpayers elect local officials who are given the right to make decisions like this on their behalf. Local officials had plenty of deliberation and public comment before they decided to go with the Marin Energy Authority. Having a local power authority gives taxpayers MORE control what happens to their power, than keeping PG&E a corporate monopoly. The CPUC has shown a history of not really holding PG&E accountable.
In reading Proposition 16, there is nothing there that helps the consumer. Proposition 16 is specifically to only benefit PG&E and killing competition that should a fire under PG&E to be more competitive, not obstructive to consumer choice.
In other posts, I will be debunking many of the myths that PG&E and their Common Sense Coalition are putting out there and explain the benefits of Marin Energy Authority. In the meantime, you can read a write up of a recent forum with Joe Nation and the Marin Energy Authority by Pam Gould over at More Marin. You can also visit: Marin Engery Freedom, No on 16 – Stop the PG&E Power Grab, No on Proposition 16 Facebook page, You can the Yes on 16 website- built by PG&E bucks.
You can also listen to this:
Jimmy Fishbob Geraghty and others over at the No on Prop 16 have compiled a partial list so far of organizations that oppose Proposition 16: AARP, 350.org, 6th Assembly District Democrats, Assoc. of Calif Agriculture Energy Consumers, California Realtors Association, CA Municipal Utilities Association, CA Tax Reform Association, CleanPower, SFConsumer Federation of California, Ecological Opt…ions Network, Go Solar Marin, League of California Cities, League of Women Voters, Local Clean Energy Alliance, Local Power, Mainstreet Moms, Marin Energy Authority, Marin County Council of Mayors & Council members, Modesto Irrigation District, Northern California Power Agency, Redding Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Sierra Club, Sustainable Marin, Sustainable Mill Valley, Taxpayers to Stop PG&E, City of Palo Alto, Powergrab, TURN (The Utility Reform Network), VOTE Solar, Waterplanet Alliance,
Women’s Energy Matters
You can add Marin Maven to the growing list of those who OPPOSE Proposition 16.
Last night at approximately 6:25pm, power went out for about 4400 customers in the Lucas Valley-Marinwood area. According to PG&E this was a substation related outage.The outage lasted to 7:50 pm. Residents took the opportunity to visit each other by candlelight and kids got to see what it was like to live “in the old days.” So far there has been no explanation of what went wrong. In the midst of the outage, a neighbor reported that PG&E had crews looking for the source of the outage.
The outage was an adventure for our family. Outages at night are more fun than during the day when we have to be productive or have to blow dry our hair for work.
The outage was an adventure for our family.We took a walk to a neighbor’s house to visit, looked at the stars, and were making sandwiches when the power went back on. There is something magical living by candlelight and flashlights. It made me think that I we need to stock up on more food like tuna that we can have on hand that doesn’t require cooking and to make sure we have enough propane for the grill.
Anyone like to share how you survived the hour and a half blackout?
After running uncontested last term, it looks like this time District 1’s Marin County Supervisor, Susan Adams will have company on the ballot this election. The MarinIJ reports that former Marin Assemblywoman Kerry Mazzoni has taken out papers to run and plans to file before the Friday deadline. One of the main reasons cited for running is Adams vote to approve the Marin Energy Authority as an alternative to PG&E.
Three others have taken out papers to run against Susan Adams: Carol Brandt, who ran against Adams eight years ago; Craig Yates, a disability advocate; and Robert Coleman, a leadership training consultant.
Marin Maven invites all candidates to use this forum to inform people what you plan to do as supervisor. Just email us.
April 20, 2010 
![[del.icio.us]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Google]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Windows Live]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://marinmaven.webjaw.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
Posted in 
