5Th ANNuAl hAlloweeN pArTy A Spooky BASh For...

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association November/December 2013

dNovember23 – Volunteer workday at Candy's Park, Sat., 8am-3pm. Rain date: Sun., Nov. 24, if not raining.

28 – Thanksgivukkah, Thurs. Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are on the same day!

29 – 2nd Annual SVNA Turkey Bowl, Fri., 3-5pm, Castro Park.

December10 – Watershed Forum meeting, Sunday afternoon.14 – 2nd Sat. Medians Workday, 9am-noon. Call Nanni for meeting location, 472-3269.

21 – Winter begins.

25 – Christmas Day

26 – Kwanzaa, Boxing Day

31 – New Year's Eve

JaNuary 20141 – New Year's Day

11 – 2nd Sat. Medians Workday, 9am-noon. Call Nanni for meeting location, 472-3269.

28 – SVNA Community Meeting, 7pm. Supervisor Adams State of the County, Korean Church, 635 Adrian Way at Rosal.

29 – Las Gallinas Creek Levee Evaluation Results, 6:30pm, Osher Marin JCC

February 20148 – 2nd Sat. Medians Workday, 9am-noon. Call Nanni for meeting location, 472-3269.

26 – CSA 18 Meeting, 5:30pm

2nd Annual SVNA Turkey Bowl, Friday, Nov. 29, 3-5pm• Nicole Cibellis-Andrews, [email protected] us for the 2nd Annual Turkey Bowl at Castro Park aka the Hidden Park between Vendola and Mabry. Avoid the shopping madness, bring a football or frisbee and come hang out with your neighbors. Hot chocolate and coffee will be provided. Bring a snack to share.We are building our community by getting to know our neighbors, so come and join us! v

5Th ANNuAl hAlloweeN pArTy A Spooky BASh For 450

Continued on page 7

• Nicole Cibellis-Andrews, [email protected] 5th Annual SVNA Neighborhood Halloween Party on Adrian Way was a spooky and fun time for kids and adults alike. This great event is just another way to bring our community together. Waves of trick-or-treaters started to fill the street at 5pm and the party didn’t stop until after 8pm. Children from across San Rafael traversed the haunted block, explored the spooky graveyard, tasted “brains” at our Witch’s Kitchen, played games at the haunted game house, boogied down to tunes with The Undertaker and His Pals, and climbed aboard SRFD Fire Engine. Adrian Way was filled with spooky houses and inhabitants who passed out a record number of treats this year. We estimate approxi-mately 450 trick-or-treaters! We met lots of new families this year. Families from all over Santa Venetia attended including the Northbridge neighborhood, Venetia Valley School students and many families from all over Marin. I want to take this opportunity to thank the following people without whom I couldn’t have organized this amaz-ing party! Pam, Mike & Mandy Hogan, Mary Clare & Colin Bly, Giselle Block, Nancy Galvin, Rich McGrath, and Norma Novy for helping me decorate the block; Hil-ary Staples, Kirk McLaughlin, and Bethanie Gilbert for helping create the beloved Witches Kitchen; Jackie & Gary Watson for their most “scary” house on the block; At-tila, Velma, Amanda and Olivia for creating an amazing haunted game house; to our new neighbors on the block: Chris, Shannon, Tino & Madalena Owen for adding to our party with a live band and super fun decorations;

Ernest Klock for submitting our permits; and the San Rafael Fire Department for taking the time to make so many kids happy. This is a wonderful community-building event and we look forward to next year’s party! Thank you to all our neighbors who have come out to our events! More Fall Events Updates: The Fall Picnic had enthu-siastic turnout – We met lots of new faces and families at our picnic in Pueblo Park at the end of September. We look forward to seeing all of you in the spring when we resume our Friday-Night-in-the-Park picnics. Thank you to the SVNA for providing pizza—wha a great treat!October’s Wine and Women Event was best ever – We had over 25 ladies come from all over Santa Venetia. It was

SVNA committee coNtActS

President NORMA NOVY [email protected], 499-9409

Vice-President GINA HAGEN [email protected] 377-3377

Treasurer LINDA LEVEY [email protected] 499-3411

Past President ROBERT DOBRIN [email protected] 259-4049

RUSS GREENFIELDNORMA NOVY

LINDA LEVEY

NICOLE CIBELLIS -ANDREWS

2 S V N A C o M M u N I C ATo R N o V e M B e R / D e C e M B e R 2013

RUSS GREENFIELD [email protected] 578-2580

NICOLE CIBELLIS-ANDREWS nicolecibellis_andrews @yahoo.com 225-6115

RICH MCGRATH [email protected], 847-8948

Board Member Emerita NANNI WURL 472-3269

Past President ROBERT DOBRIN [email protected] 259-4049

SVNA BoArd officerS SVNA BoArd memBerS

•SVNACommunityPlan:GISELLE BLOCK, [email protected]•NeighborhoodBeautification& Medians: NANNI WURL and DENNIS BORTOLI•Newsletter:LINDA LEVEY•Membership:LINDA LEVEY•SocialActivities:NICOLE CIBELLIS-ANDREWS, nicole [email protected]•Watershed:RUSS GREENFIELD •SVNA Land Use: TBA•MarshSteward:JULIANNA OLATE, [email protected], 479-9292

AdViSory BoArdS•Dredging(CSA#6):CHRIS DEIBEL, 479-9013, [email protected]•Parks(CSA#18):GINA HAGEN, [email protected]; NANNI WURL•EmergencyServices(CSA#19): MARK WALLACE, NANNI WURL•FloodControlZone(FCZ#7): JACKIE GARCIA, jacqueline. [email protected], 492-1898

Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association PO Box 4047, San Rafael, CA 94913-4047 www.thesvna.org

GINA HAGEN

ROBERT DOBRIN

The deadline for submissions and ads for the big Jan/Feb issue is Jan.1, 2014. Email text to editor Linda Levey, [email protected], 499-3411. Put SVNA in the subject line of email.Advertising rates Go Up 1/01/14 Paid SVNA residents–advertise and support The Communicator. Buy 3-5/8" x 2" ad. The big Jan/Feb issue is $60 on 1/01/14; the other 5 issues $30 each. Pay one issue at a time or get one free issue by paying year in advance. Only $180 for the whole year, 6 issues, (or$150iswereceiveyourcheckbeforeyear-end)andreceiveFREE4-color on the SVNA website and in the display case. For ad specs, contact Norma Novy, [email protected], 499-9409.

NewSletter SUBmiSSioNS

Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association Mission StatementTo preserve and promote the quality of life of the Santa Venetia community. This is achieved through encouraging healthy social interaction; facilitating the flow of information; and protecting the natural beauty and economic well being of the community.

RICH MCGRATH

From the President

Photo credits: Russ Greenfield, Nicole Cibellis-Andrews, Linda Levey, Norma Novy, Sue Mace,AlexKahl,BonnieMonte,SherryJulin,GraceDearborn•ThankstoAnnThompsonfor the Communicator masthead design, to Jok Church for the original SV logo design, andtoJoelLauforrevisingit.•Articles in this newsletter represent the opinions and ideas of the authors, and may not reflect the views of SVNA or its board. while this newsletter aims to best represent information that is useful to the community, please note that SVNA reserves the right to edit submissions for both accuracy and clarity.

Dear Neighbors,Many of you attended our last community meet-ing on Tuesday, october 29. We had a whole roster of amazing speakers on flooding in Santa Venetia and the new guidelines from FeMA and the 2012 Biggert-Waters Act. Three staff from the Department of Public Works, Water Resources Division came to speak to us. They included Han-nah F. Lee, Zone engineer & Wellness Ambassador, Bene Da Silva, engineering Technician III, and Tracy Clay, Principal Civil engineer, who presented an informative PowerPoint on Santa Venetia's complex drain-age systems, including our permanent and portable pump stations, the three large-diameter interceptor pipes and, of course, our tidal streams. They brought Flood Control Zone 7 maps and a lot of relevant infor-mation on what we can do, such as clearing drains and sweeping leaves. We asked for information on the street sweeper schedule, so we can move our cars off the street. Gina Purim from MCSTOPPP (Marin County Stormwater Pol-lution Prevention Program) very kindly ordered two booklets for our meeting and then sent 30-40 copies of each with Hannah and Bene. The booklets, one called Creek Care, A Guide for Marin Residents, and the other Go Native, Using Native Plants for Your Yard, Patio, Creek encourage using California native plants and organic pest control, important for the health of our waterways.Michael, from Michael E. Ford Inc. Land Surveying and his associate Diane Nommay gave an excellent presentation on the importance of elevation certificates in determining new flood insurance rates. Michael, brother of Ron Ford, long-time Santa Venetia resident, has surveyed many properties here in Santa Venetia. If Santa Venetia residents want to band together and get our elevation certificates, we could get a discount on the costs. Gil Guglielmi, an expert Farmers Insurance agent, talked to us about the then late-breaking news of an amendment to the Biggert-Waters Act of 2012 that might delay the final provisions of the Act until an affordability study could be completed. I think that the parts of Santa Venetia that are in a flood zone (and that's a lot of us) would heartily approve of a delay. We thank all of our speakers on flooding, elevations and insurance for their expertise and for donating their time.SVNA Vice President Gina Hagen gave us an update on Candy's and Pueblo Parks. See the article written by Gina Hagen, Linda Levey and Nancy Peake on page 8. And finally, we had our annual SVNA Board elections. President Norma Novy introduced the Board, past and present including past Presidents Robert Dobrin and Nanni Wurl, and past Secretary Dennis Bortoli, current Vice President Gina Hagen, Treasurer Linda Levey, and Board Members Russ Greenfield, Nicole Cibellis-Andrews and Rich Mc-Grath. All current SVNA Board members were voted back in. Thank you to everyone who volunteers to help our community. If you would like to contribute your time and ideas, please consider joining our Board. We meet once a month for an hour and a half.Next week on November 28 is not only Thanksgiving but the first day of Hanukkah. This holiday of Thanksgivukkah will not happen for another 70,000 years (really). enjoy it, my friends,

NANNI WURL

Bene Da Silva commented that our Flood Zone 7 map looks very much like a butterfly. I love that allusion to our pretty neighborhood.

S V N A C o M M u N I C ATo R N o V e M B e R / D e C e M B e R 2 01 3 3

Gallinas watershed program moves ahead• Supervisor Susan L. Adams, RN, PhD, 1st District, County of MarinIn addition to all of the great studies that are underway looking at all aspects of the Gallinas

Creek watershed, the Santa Venetia Community Plan is homing in on what is unique about and important to the Santa Venetia community. Residents value the beautiful natural setting, proximity to open space and park areas, and the strong sense of identity.In 2012, the County established a program to develop and update community plans throughout Marin. Santa Venetia was chosen as one of two communities to be included in the first phase of the program, due in part to the active interest of community residents in the com-munity plan process.An advisory committee made up of people representing the different areas of the community has been meeting monthly since May to assist staff and provide input regarding issues of concern in the community. In August, the County hosted the first Santa Venetia Community Plan Community Meeting (held at the Korean Presbyterian Church) to dis-cuss the community plan process with the broader community. over 45 residents attended the meeting, which included an overview of the purpose of a Community Plan (presented by staff), followed by small group discussions of what residents value about the community, top-ics that the community plan should cover, and ideas and suggestions about how important issues should be addressed. Issues of concern include flood control, traffic congestion, neighborhood maintenance and the impacts of new development.Advisory Committee will continue to meet throughout the winter and spring to analyze issues in more detail and, where possible, develop strategies and policies.. A second community meeting is planned in the Spring of 2014 and staff intends to provide periodic progress reports at upcoming Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association meetings.To find out more and sign up for email notices, visit the Santa Venetia Community Plan webpage at www.marincounty.org/SantaVenetia. Residents are also encouraged to use the County’s new online engage-ment forum “open Marin,” where questions about the community and community plan will periodically be posted. A link to open Marin is located on the community plan webpage, or you can go straight to the site at www.marincounty.org/openmarin. Staff contact information: Christine Gimmler, 473-6285 or [email protected] Rick Fraites and Susannah Clark and I are here to serve you. Website: www.marincounty.org/depts/BS/district-1/home. v

Supervisor’s Corner SVNA Community Plan

what makes SV unique?• Bonnie Monte The County office of Development in conjunction with the Community Plan Advisory Committee will be posting questions on open Marin. These questions are designed to get at what makes our community unique, and your answers will help in crafting the “community charac-ter” section of the Plan. Sample questions that might appear: » If you had an out-of-town visitor who wanted to see your

neighborhood, where would you take them? » How would you describe the look and feel of Santa Venetia’s

neighborhoods? » What natural spaces or wildlife habitat areas do you most

value in the community?A new question will appear every few weeks. Go online to www.marincounty.org/openmarin and take advantage of this opportunity to express your opinions! v

Fun stuff to do: parks, museum• Linda LeveyRob Ruiz, Chief Park Ranger, and Kirk Schroeder, Park Ranger/Volun-teer Coordinator, reminded us that there are lots of wonderful things to do in our Marin County Parks. Rangers host a variety of family-friendly events for all ages and interests. They offer barbeques, bike rides, campfires, fishing derbies, horseback rides, interpretive hikes, outdoor safety and skills seminars, skateboard contests, stargazing, and more! Bring snacks, water, and sun block.Below are a few dates for some of the events, or you can click on the link below to get all the details and view the entire calendar: www.marincountyparks.org/depts/pk/calendar11/30/13: Learn to Saltwater Fish at McNears12/7/13: McNear’s Family Fun Mile12/7/13: Wreath Making Workshop (Tiburon)12/21/13: Junior Rangers: Focus on Creeks and Fish, (San Anselmo)12/26/13: Learn to Ride at McInnis Skate Park (Scooter/Skateboard)1/4/14: Icebreaker Stand Up Paddle Races (McNear’s)1/11/14: McNears Sturgeon Derby2/1/14: Yoga in the Park (McNear’s Beach Park) Also, our friends at the Marin History Museum have some events planned that may be of interest: (www.marinhistory.org/index.php)11/23/13: History Lecture by Paul Trimble: Ferry Boats of the San Francisco Bay12/5/13: MHM Annual Holiday Party v

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Gaspare’s – It’s a win-win• Linda LeveyGaspare’s Pizzeria is the place to go for a wonderful meal and to benefit the SVNA. So, the next time you are too tired to cook, need a special night out, are ready to celebrate, and/or have a yen for some delicious Italian food or pizza, order in or order out at Gaspare’s. And remember – mention the SVNA and they’ll donate 15% of your meal ticket to our neighborhood. Thank you Danny, Gaspare, and Robin! v

Visit our website: thesvna.orgGet the latest info on what's up in Santa Venetia!


watershed Bioneers • Alex Kahl ~ Gallinas Watershed CouncilThe Gallinas Water-shed Council (GWC) welcomed the Bioneers to our watershed. GWC was invited to participate at the 24th annual Bioneers Conference which has taken place at the Marin Center every october since 1990. From october 18 through october 20, 2013 the GWC staff introduced Bioneers attendees from near and far to our watershed, answered questions about sea level rise and promoted watershed management. The Bioneers are a New Mexico-based nonprofit organization promot-ing practical and innovative solutions to global environmental and bio-cultural challenges. The organization cultivates the value and wisdom of the natural world. The Bioneers Conference highlights the work of scientific and social innovators, and helps support, nurture and propagate their ideas and models. Conference speakers come from interdisciplinary fields that encompass a wide range of fields. Where else can you hear about the latest developments in the environmental and socio-political fields, farming and gardening, wildland preservation, alternative energy, holistic medicine, socially responsible entrepreneur-ship, philanthropy, women’s and youth movements and more? GWC is grateful to all our volunteers: Sue Mace, Cori Bannier, Tisha Kahl, Judy Schriebman and Alex Kahl. If you would like the Gallinas Watershed Council to teach a group of students or adults about water-shed management, please contact GWC through our website at www.gallinaswatershed.org

watershed studies and work underway• Tracy Clay, Principal Civil engineer, Marin County DPWSanta Venetia Drainage StudyIn August, Public Works staff met with contractors to formally kick off the Santa Venetia Hydraulics Study for the urban drainage area within Santa Venetia. During the next few months, the contractor will assemble the data into a stormwater management computer model, SWMM, which will be used to identify vulnerable areas and recom-mended storm drainage system improvements. The SWMM model will include street drains, pump stations, ditches, and bypass (“interceptor”) drains. Then, the model will be used to simulate various storm events and to target areas for flood control improvements. Four scenarios will be simulated to help identify the benefits and rank potential flood improvement projects. Study completion is anticipated in Spring 2014.Las Gallinas Creek Levee Evaluation The Las Gallinas Creek Levee evaluation is a significant multi-year effort to better understand the current condition of the levees, develop an idea of the cost and feasibility of possible improvement alternatives, and receive an indication of whether or not federal funds may be avail-able to design and construct a preferred alternative. The evaluation is nearly complete and a community meeting to present and discuss the results will be held at 6:30pm on January 29 at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center. Reports related to the evaluation will be posted to our website before the meeting.

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Gallinas Creek Sediment Study Ability of tidal action to move sediment through Gallinas Creek has been reduced by land use practices. The geomorphic tidal assessment will build upon existing studies for CSA #6 (Winzler and Kelly 2010) and studies recently completed by the uS Army Corps of engineers. The study will seek to identify the factors influencing sediment build-up in Gallinas Creek and develop a channel cross-section and align-ment that maximizes the creek’s ability to transport sediment to the Bay. This information will be used to inform future creek-dredging needs and the extent of dredging. The study is slated for completion by Spring 2014.McInnis Marsh Feasibility Study Marin County Parks is in process of initiating a contract with the California Coastal Conservancy for work to study the feasibility of restoring the wetlands at McInnis Park. Marin County Parks, Marin County Public Works, and the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District have jointly agreed to support this effort, which could include re-designing levees, restoring up to 200 acres of tidal and transitional marsh, and evaluating sediment re-use and management, all of which would benefit sensitive species such as the California clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mouse. The project could increase the ability of Gallinas and Miller Creeks to move sediment more efficiently to the Bay, provide opportunities to support the wastewater treatment operations of the local sanitary district, support the re-use of dredged sediment from Las Gallinas Creek (CSA #6), and create new marshes and levees that are adaptive to sea level rise. v

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wright’s vision in 2013• Kate Fitzsimmons, Lesley McTaggart, and Mary Lou King ~ Marin Civic Center Vision CommitteeThis is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Civic Center Campus’ 50th year an-niversary! With that, be prepared to see some changes coming our way that you will want to learn more about.Let’s start with a quote from the man himself. on July 30, 1957, de-scribing his vision of organic Architecture, Wright said, “We will never have a culture of our own until we have an architecture of our own. We will have an architecture of our own only when we know that the good building is not one that hurts the landscape, but is one that makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the build-ing was built. In Marin County, you have one of the most beautiful landscapes I have seen, and I am proud to make the buildings of this County characteristic of the beauty of the County.”Wright’s full vision for the Civic Center campus was never fully real-ized, as anyone who has reviewed the original schematics will tell you. But life marches on and, once again, new architects with new plans are coming to the public.on November 4, 2014, the voters of Marin County will have the opportunity to vote for or against a new development in the Marin Lagoon area. This proposal comes before the voters, thanks to the 1992 open Space ordinance which protects the west side of the Civic Center Campus, but not the east side, where the lagoon lies. Three very different options are being proposed: » 1. on July 24, 2012, the Board of Supervisors approved rather

sketchy plans to improve signage and the circulation of bikes, cars and pedestrians along North Civic Center Drive and the Marin Vet-erans’ Memorial Building at a cost of $2 million.

» 2. Simultaneously, the County is pursuing a partnership with the Agricultural Institute of Marin (the Bay Area Farmers’ Markets) and is offering $1million to pave the Christmas tree parking lot and add restrooms to make the site more useable year round. on December 17th, the Board of Supervisors will be approving the final concept plans.

» 3. There is another plan proposed by the Marin Center Renaissance Partnership (www.marin.centerproject.org) that plans to renovate the Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium, adding square footage that has not been disclosed. The architect’s rendering shows a large rectangular addition to the signature circular Veteran’s Auditorium. Their objective is to create a large “entrance foyer.” Included in their ideas are drawings depicting a series of low buildings for a restau-rant, the county library, and offices that would replace the current wooden storage sheds. The graveled area would be replaced by lawn that would cause a loss of parking for Showcase Theater exhibi-tors. (Less lawn and more drought-resistant landscaping could be in order.) one fanciful idea included a bridge spanning the lagoon from the juror’s parking lot side to the Veteran’s Auditorium, to create a more “direct route.” From comments collected after their presentation, it appeared that some neighbors would like to see improvements made to the current walking paths that surround the lagoon, like better lighting to improve safety. Mark Cavagnero Associates is the San Francisco-based firm that created these plans and is encouraging community comments.

The Civic Center Conservancy Commission (appointed and directed by the Board of Supervisors) oversees all of these proposed developments within the Civic Center Campus. While the Commission is charged to uphold Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision for the campus, it is the responsibil-ity of every community member to engage in this process. We encour-age you to learn more about these projects, and lend your insights, comments and concerns so that the outcome will enhance Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision “to make the buildings of this County characteristic of the beauty of the County.” v

Civic Center Vision Committee

The endless supply of poop• Mary Hughes aka Futon Maryoctober 27, Sunday, a little before 9am—I’m writing this as I walk, on our beautiful Levee on a nice Sunday morning with a little fog hanging over the bay. The air smells mostly wonderful until I come upon…a pile of fresh poop!There are already a half a dozen fresh piles. I know they are fresh be-cause on Friday and Saturday, I spent my afternoons walking the levee (eight laps on Friday and five on Saturday) and bagged over two dozen fresh piles of poop. It’s a frustrating and endless endeavor. As I said in my last article, I have met a lot of great people and together we spread the awareness of the importance of picking up dog waste. And to all those people who pick up and dispose of their dog's poop, a big thank you from all of us who use the levee regularly. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback this month from people who say how happy they are that the problem has improved and that they now feel empowered to offer someone a bag, to inform them of the fine, and to ask them to be accountable without being confrontational or rude. Some people ask, "why bother? It’s no big deal, I’ve always walked out here so Sparky could poop." Yes, I know you’ve always done it, and there was a time when you threw away cans and bottles, but you don’t do that anymore, do you? No, you recycle them, because that’s the way we do it now.This week, the ranger gave two people tickets for letting their dogs in the water. Sadly, those two people really didn’t deserve tickets as both of their dogs simply followed another dog, that belonged to someone who wasn’t present. But still, a $175 fine for each of them. The ranger also chased down, but didn’t catch, our offending bicycle rider with the two dogs. You know the guy: he has his little green bag tied to his handlebars and races past you at 15 miles an hour while his dogs run into you and then stop to do their pooping with him riding merrily away. I’m always surprised by people who walk past me smiling holding their empty bag…day after day an empty bag. Here’s a newsflash: just because you’re carrying an empty bag, doesn’t mean you are picking up your dog's poop. I know it, you know it, and all the other people who pass you know it! So the next time your dog is taking a dump and you walk away from the pile, think about your neighbors and the environment. EDItor’S NotE: Keep in mind, the Marin County Rangers and the Marin Humane Society are stepping up their patrol efforts. Tickets will be issued and roaming dogs will be picked up. Avoid the trouble, expense, and make your neighbors happy — don’t let your dog walk itself, make sure its license is current, and when you do walk your dog, pick up after it. v

Levee Poop Patrol

Collecting box-tops We're still participating in General Mills' Box Tops for education program and Campbell's

Labels for education program. Box tops are worth 10 cents and are used to fund the 5th Grade outdoor education Program. Campbell Soup labels are used to obtain Pe and playground equipment for

Venetia Valley School. Contact Tess Robards, 507-0375.Cash for trash Yes, Cash for Trash is continuing. Tad Inouye, 847-0215, will collect your aluminum cans and California Recycle Value (CRV) bottles every Thursday morning in front of your home. You need to let Tad know that you will be participating in this good

cause and leave your address. empty out all liquids. Your support pays for Art and Physical education at Venetia Valley School.


Venetia Valley School

• Grace Dearborn, representing Venetia Valley School (VV)Season's Greetings from Venetia Valley School! Here are some things to love about your neighborhood school.Middle School Justice This year, in addition to our traditional middle school electives such as band, teaching assistant, and the wheel (which includes drama, health, study skills, and STeM), a “Restorative Justice” elective has been added at Venetia Valley. Restorative Justice works on the premise that after a transgression has occurred, it is better to shape a culture of tolerance and fairness than to seek punitive justice. In this semester-long course, participating students are learn-ing to work pro-actively with students who transgress school rules. Transgressors are learning to tap into their empathy and to become accountable to the people directly affected by their misbehavior. Middle School Talk “I’m glad my son goes to VV’s middle school because it is so small that every teacher knows him. Also, I think hav-ing the elementary school on the same campus has allowed him to remain a kid a little longer.” - Parent of 3 students at VV“I like VV Middle School because of the small class sizes, which means more individual atten-tion. Any one can get friends because there are different types of people who have different interests. But everyone still comes together to support each other and form a community.” -7th grade VV student Parent Empowerment over twenty VV families are currently par-ticipating in Families United, a family literacy series hosted and facili-tated by the VV Family Center. Participating families are learning how to better support literacy at home. These families will continue to meet on a weekly basis until winter break begins in mid December. This ter-rific program is just one more way in which Venetia Valley is empower-ing families to become full partners in their childrens' education. Experience Corps Volunteers Venetia Valley would like to send a big THANK You to experience Corps Marin. This organization recruits folks 50 and older and trains them to be classroom tutors/mentors in local elementary schools. Currently, Venetia Valley School benefits from 19 experience Corps tutors providing 85 hours of volunteer time per week on our campus! Because of this valuable volunteerism our students are getting the one-on-one and small-group literacy support they need to become proficient readers. For more information, contact experience Corps Site Coordinator Robin Levy, [email protected], 640-0769.Fall Carnival a Huge Success THANK You to the many neighbors, friends, and Venetia Valley families who made this year’s Fall Carnival a huge success. This year we raised over $15,000 for our school enrichment pro-grams! Highlights included live music from two local student bands, Mad Jam Rock and Phoenix uprising, and parent band Memory Laps; fabulous food, includ-ing home-made papusas that sold out; the ever popular cake walk, face-painting, carnival rides and jumpy houses; and of course the dunk tank made a huge “splash.” Special thanks go out to our neighborhood sponsors/donors: Santa Venetia Market, Rocky’s Meats, Malugani Tire, Marin ACE

Hardware, Steven Resetivo Events, and Santa Venetia Neighbors Helping Neighbors (SVNHA). The contributions from these busi-nesses made it possible for us to operate the Carnival at almost no cost. Please support these local companies as they have supported their local school. Donate $1 (or more) Today Whether you have children at Venetia Valley or not, VVis your neighborhood school and its success impacts the neighborhood as a whole in numerous ways. Please consider help-ing the school by making a donation of any size to the school’s Falcon Fund that pays for our Garden Teacher, Music Teacher, Playworks Coach, and many other enrichment opportunities for students at VV. Anything will help. $100. $10. even $1 can make a difference. To make your tax-deductible donation, write a check to the VVPTA and drop it off at the main office, or mail it to Venetia Valley PTA, 177 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael CA 94903. You can also donate online at www.vvpta.org.Another way you can help support VV is by shopping at Amazon.com. Next time you plan on making a purchase through Amazon, just go to www.vvpta.org first, and click on the Amazon icon there. That will redirect you to Amazon’s website. Then shop like you normally do. That’s right: You can get your holiday shopping done and support your school while doing it!After School Enrichment Thrives Venetia Valley’s after school enrichment classes have been wildly successful, with 89 children participating in one or more of the fall offerings. For just $50 per child per 10-week class, students are enjoying chess, Green Team, cooking, yoga, Spanish, and much more. This program was begun last year and has quickly become a highlight for many students and parents.Murals for Mitzvah Sunday, oct. 27 was Mitzvah Day, the begin-ning of a year of good deeds in the Jewish faith. To commemorate the occasion, about 35 of our friends from Rodef Sholom Congregation came to support parent leader Holly Wipfler, volunteer grandfather Cesar Rivera Dicarpio, and principal Juan Rodriguez in painting the new wave murals in the quad. our school is coming alive with color and creativity. Thank you to all who contributed to the mural project! Beacon of Success on Wednesday, oct. 6th, Venetia Valley School shined its brightest at a countywide meeting at which principals from schools receiving PeSSA grants from the Marin Community Founda-tion reported out. VV was the first school to meet the three year goal of creating a comprehensive partnership with their Pre-K feeder schools. Brava to our K team, our Family Center, our Pre-K partners at old Gallinas, and to all staff who have worked hard to establish and support this new relationship. Parent Survey Results The positive transformation of Venetia Valley School is undeniable. Parent, teacher, and student surveys from June indicate that the majority of all stakeholders are encouraged by the direction in which our school is headed. When you walk through the corridors and courtyard, you can sense the optimistic fervor. We are on our way. And our new administration is thankfully here to stay. To-gether we will continue to take the next steps toward manifesting our school-wide vision of community, professionalism, and achievement.Parent Tours Parent tours will be starting soon for prospective Venetia Valley families. If you have a soon-to-be kindergartener or a soon-to-be 6th grader, come see what Venetia Valley has to offer you and your child. Contact Maria Bartlett in the main office for tour dates at 492-3150, [email protected] v

Carnival rides were a big hit at VV’s annual Fall Carnival.

Middle school boys having fun in the quad.Your donations at work! Kids learn plant care in the teaching garden.


To better serve you• eva Patterson, Branch Manager, [email protected] may have noticed some of our collections moving to different areas and their old shelves sitting empty. This is in preparation for the construction of a materials check-in room, the second stage of the Civic Center Library’s functional upgrade. The check-in room will give us a more efficient way of handling our book drop returns, daily mate-rial delivery and pick-up, and our incoming and outgoing holds. Stage one of our upgrade was the construction of a staff workroom — a place to do non-public but necessary work—that allows staff to focus on serving our patrons when they are out on the library floor. The staff workroom was completed this summer. The material check-in room will be completed in late December or early January. Stage Three of the upgrade will convert all the space freed up in Stag-es one and Two into a new lobby and marketplace. Displays and new books will be up front for easy browsing. The curved window looking out on Frank Lloyd Wright’s design will be clear for public viewing. Most importantly, you will be able to have all your library needs ad-dressed at one service desk or by staff members out on the floor. We anticipate lobby and marketplace to be completed in early 2014.Work on Stages one and Two took/takes place during library closed hours without interruption of public service. Work for Stage Three will require the closure of the library for approximately one week. Check in at the library for updates about our functional upgrades. v

New Civic Center bags coming to the library!• Alison Fuller ~ Friends of the Civic Center LibraryThe Friends of the Civic Center Library are pleased to announce that our fashionable black book bags with Civic Center logo in blue have sold out once again. New bags are on the way in a heavier fabric with longer handles. They will be in good supply at the library in plenty of time for your holiday hostess gifts and stocking stuffers at the same low price of $10. All proceeds help to support our beloved library. Questions? Call Alison Fuller at 492-3439. v

Civic Center LibrarySanta Venetia Time Travel

Marin IJ newspaper clipping dated Monday, December 21, 1959 was provided by Santa Venetia resident Margie Wehrer.

Santa Claus pays Call In Santa VenetiaSanta Claus gave 1,800 candy canes to children of Santa Venetia dur-ing a tour of streets there yesterday.Santa, touring in a sleigh with painted reindeer designed and deco-rated by Harry N. Johnston and powered by a cut-down Volkswagen pickup truck, made 26 regular stops at homes of sick children. Some of the older residents professed to see beneath the flowing white beard a resemblance to former county assessor George W. Hall. The Santa Claus appearance was sponsored by the Santa Venetia Improvement Assn.The association is also sponsoring a house decoration contest which is to be judged at 7 p.m. tomorrow, announced Don Fisher, club president. v

SANtA MAKES roUNDS- Santa Claus came to the kiddies in Santa Venetia making 26 stops at homes of sick children during a tour of the subdivision in which he gave away some 1,800 candy bars. Santa Venetia Improvement Assn. sponsored the visit. (Independent-Journal photo by Jim Kean)

a cross-generational mix of ladies — some who have lived here for 50 years and some who have just moved in. It was great to meet the ladies in the neighborhood and build connections! A very special THANK You goes to Traci Lanier, who hosted this event. November Wine & Women at Chalet Basque. We had another great turnout for Wine and Women at the Chalet Basque this past November 14th. More and more cross-generational ladies are coming out to meet each other further fostering the community spirit and making new friends. It was wonderful seeing familiar faces and new ones alike. A special thank you to the Chalet Basque for hosting us and the SVNA for paying for the event. We hope to have another Wine & Women event in January or February. Stay tuned for more informa-tion after the holidays.We would like to extend a special THANK You to the SVNA . Without their financial support, we couldn’t have events like these. Remember to support your SVNA and renew your membership. It’s an investment in our neighborhood and community! v

October’s Wine & Women event was best ever Continued from front page

(415) 479-1070405 N. San Pedro Road

San Rafael

— in Santa Venetia — One Mile East of County Civic Center

[email protected]

S-S Dinner 4-9pm

Tu-F Lunch 11:30am-2pm Dinner 5-9pm

Closed Monday

Upcoming Community Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2014: Supervisor Susan Adams – An annual treat – Join us as we welcome our very own Supervisor Susan Adams for her State of the County Address. Always open and informative, Susan updates us on the culmination of the past year and the expec-tations for the coming one. Bring your questions and concerns and come learn about everything that is going on in our neighborhood.Working Committee presentations will include our Community Plan, Social Activities, Neighborhood Beautification, the Watershed, Land use, and more.


• Gina Hagen & Linda Levey ~ CSA #18 Advisory Board • Nancy Peake ~ Marin County ParksCandy’s Park Update Candy’s Park playground renovation has be-gun! The contractor has been waiting on the play equipment delivery dates to be confirmed prior to starting so that the playground would not be closed prematurely. Volunteer at Candy's Park Demolition began Monday, october 28th. Marin County Parks is organizing a community work day for Saturday, November 23, from 8am to 3pm (in case of rain on the 23, the work day will be rescheduled for Sunday, November 24, if not raining) – 15 to 20 volunteers are wanted! The installing contractor will be coordi-nating volunteers to help with things like sorting and laying out the equipment, mixing concrete for footings, and other miscellaneous items that will require physical labor. To sign up, please contact Nancy Peake, Landscape Architect with Marin County Parks, at 473-2865, [email protected] or Gina Hagen at 377-3377. Also contact Steve Petterle at 473-6394 to volunteer or for more information. The playground is estimated to be back open the first week of December.Pueblo Park Portable RestroomDrum roll please... A portable restroom has been installed at Pueblo Park! Many thanks to all at Marin County Parks for responding to our numerous requests for a restroom facility. While the feasibility of a permanent facility is being explored by the County, a temporary option has been generously provided. Also, plans are underway to screen the restroom with a fence and shrubbery to lessen visual impact.Many visitors who use the park engage in activities which cause them to stay for long periods of time. We have picnicking, basketball, tennis and playgrounds at the park. Most of these activities are not short in duration and our visitors may stay for several hours. Mothers who bring their children to the park have been faced with having to return home, sometimes just after arrival, when their children need to use the restroom. Visitors or parents of children with disabilities are even more challenged and as well, the elderly are faced with their own set of challenges. This should be a much better solution to parents having their children go to the bathroom in the bushes and along the fence line adjacent to the playground. So thank you to Marin County Parks and to Gina Hagen for working together to find this solution.

CSA #18 AB Update: Join the Advisory BoardThere is still an opening to serve as a member of the CSA #18 Advisory Board. The purpose/duty of this Board is to advise Parks and open Space staff and the Board of Supervisors on matters relating to proj-ects and programs within the “County Service Area”. If you are inter-ested in our parks, please join us to assist the County in their decisions for our neighborhood. v

CSA #18 Parks & Open Space

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Ahmed Issa, diplomat next door• Bonnie MonteAhmed Issa was working in Saudi Arabia when his American boss encouraged him to check out the u.S. That proved to be a great idea. After embarking on a coast-to-coast visit, Ahmed decided this was the place for him. Now, 25 years after moving here, he not only owns a thriv-ing business, but he’s recently been named Honorary Consul to his homeland of Tanzania.Ahmed started his company, Ahmed’s Moving Express, in San Rafael 15 years ago and built it into a local success. A recent partnership with Wheaton World Wide Moving gives it an even broader range. He runs the business with his fiancé Sherry Julin. The couple are long-time residents of the neighborhood, and Sherry is one of the founding members of Santa Venetia Neighbors Helping Neighbors.In his new role, Ahmed will focus on promoting American tourism and investment in his native country. His business acumen, work ethic and easygoing personality make him a perfect choice for Honorary Consul. In october, Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete and ambas-sador Liberata Mulamula traveled to San Rafael to honor Ahmed at an outdoor ceremony, followed by a reception at the embassy Suites. President Kikwete called Ahmed “hardworking, successful and caring” and declared, “There’s no one better for the job.”Look for Ahmed’s fleet of trucks around the Bay Area, painted with scenes of Tanzanian wildlife. It’s just one of many ways that Ahmed is promoting the African nation, whose natural wonders include Serengeti National Park, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, the Spice Island. But, says Ahmed, “Tanzania has a lot more to offer than tourism.” Not only is the country politically stable, he points out, but it’s continu-ing to implement policies that are enhancing its business climate and growing its economy. “I am very proud that I can claim that I belong to these great two nations, Tanzania and the united States of America,” Ahmed says. “I want the best for both countries.” To read the article in the Marin IJ, click here: www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_24110127/president-african- nation-visits-san-rafael-launch-campaign v

Notable Neighbors

Beautiful Santa Venetia• Mary HanleyA most welcome change has come to North San Pedro Road at La Brea Way. A major clean-up has happened…again. The blighted area (a.k.a. Grange Property) recently received some TLC from the Site Manager, Antonio, from the Anise Turina Apartments. He not only picked up the litter, but removed the couch and mat-tresses that were recently dumped there. Antonio also posted some new “No Dumping” signs and has assured the neighborhood that he will keep an eye on the area to keep it cleaned up. This property/area has always been a challenge for the neighborhood to keep clean. So THANK You ANToNIo! Please keep up the good work and we’ll keep up our efforts to keep Santa Venetia litter free. v

Visit our website: thesvna.orgGet the latest info on what's up in Santa Venetia!

Ahmed Issa (in dark suit, back row) stands with President Jakaya Kikwete, Sherry Julin and Liberata Mulamula.

Second Saturday Medians


• Nanni Wurl, 472-3259Having volunteered at the Humane Society for over 37 years, hav-ing been on the Board of the SVNA since forever, and being involved with the medians and Parks & Open Space, it is difficult for me to understand why so few seniors volunteer. We have many of them at the Humane Society, but we are missing them on our Boards in Santa Venetia. We need some Board Members for Parks and open Space. We are an Advisory Board involved for the good of the Community and meet only twice yearly.Back to the medians…In September, we again worked on our longest median, but due to the small crew, we were only able to cover half of it, pruning and weeding and removing plants which had been hit again, we think at least three times. Four sprinkler heads were broken off and at least three plants were knocked over. We never stop wondering how this is possible.Working were Carolyn Byrne, Wayne Lechner, and Carl & Helen Sitchler. This median could use a makeover but due to irrigation problems, we are considering some oleander as they can survive a hot summer if they take root in a wet winter.In october, we continued working on this median. Again, we were a small group—Carolyn Byrne, Wayne Lechner, Rich McGrath, and Dawn Mann. We finished the median and then moved to the small one past Meadow (mine). We truly applied ourselves to this one. Some pruning was done to the huge pride of Madera in front of the PG&e site. This plant exists without water and was planted by the birds or the wind. I'm very jealous of how well it developed in a crack along the road. We swept around the median and along the roads, and then used the oak leaves as mulch. I especially appreciated Dawn Mann showing up as she called me to check on our work location. every so often somebody calls to vol-unteer, but when the time comes, they are a no-show. Good to have someone come through. We always work on the Second Saturday.In November, we were mainly pruning and pulling a few weeds starting on the long median in front of the old Tanem’s plant nursery and fin-ishing in front of the Rafael Nursing Facility. We had hoped to do some planting but due to the dry condition, we did not. Working were Caro-lyn Byrne, Wayne Lechner, Carl & Helen Sitchler, and Tim Ribble. We did some mulching, too, with the oak leaves from along the road.I am trying to grow lantana but neither rooting in water nor in soil works. The same goes for miniature marigolds. Any suggestions? I do well with roses, geraniums and rosemary clip-pings.And FYI – I heard it from a friend but double-checked with the sanitary service: they are not interested in any plastic bottle top unless it has 1-7 in it. Some-body gets paid to remove the tops from the recyclables. v

Join the sVnA toDAY! Power in numbers regular $30 and Seniors $15 Includes subscription to The Communicator Newsletter!

Dennis Bortoli is taking a well-deserved break• Linda Levey and Nanni WurlAfter 10 years, Dennis Bortoli has resigned from the SVNA Board. He was a wonderful Board Member and an exceptional Secretary for our Board. He was always willing to help and to step in when needed. We are all so sorry to see him go and we miss him at the Board Meetings already. But no doubt we will all see him out and about and at the many SVNA and Community functions and meetings. Dennis is a shy and quiet guy, so sometimes you forget he’s there, but he’s got a big heart. He’s always been dedicated to the neighborhood, never saying "no" when asked to do something. He is a steadfast vol-unteer on the Medians and long-time member of the Median Crew. He assists at the SVNA Labor Day Picnic – helping Nanni to buy the food, helping Tad set up, and manning the grill so everyone gets a great hot dog. He volunteers every year for the Friends of Civic Cen-ter Library book sale and has been commended for his great work. He helps with distributing flyers for the Paramedics and other issues. And almost every time it was important to show up, he has been there…. except of course when he was gallivanting around europe! I’m sure we’re forgetting something, but just know, Dennis, you will be greatly missed on the Board and we want to thank you for your years of service to the SVNA and to the Community. v

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• Plenty of Free Parking• Complete Dinners Ready to Take Out

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200 Merrydale Road • San Rafael • 415-472-7100www.GasparesPizza.com

Swing By After the Show!• Delicious Food & Great Prices • Family Style Dining

• Thin Crust Pizza • Extensive Italian Menu• Happy Hour 4:30-6:30pm Complimentary Appetizers• Dinner Sun-Thurs 4:30-10:30pm, Fri & Sat 4:30-11pm

• Plenty of Free Parking• Complete Dinners Ready to Take Out

• Have Your Next Party Here • Catering AvailableAcross from the Civic Center next to A & W

200 Merrydale Road • San Rafael • 415-472-7100www.GasparesPizza.com

Bogie’s Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week and offers music 6-7 days a week from 11:15am-2pm. Sandy Bailey, a talented ukelele player from Hawaii, plays customer favorites.Kurt Huget • Moonlight Rodeo. Nov. 30, old Western Saloon in Pt. Reyes StationThe Marin JCC • Festival of Lights, Sun., Nov. 24, 2013, 11:30 am-2:30 pm • The House Jacks, Sat., Dec. 7, 2013, 8:00 pm • 4th Annual New Year's eve Celebration Comedy Showcase, Dec. 31, 9:00 pm v

The Music Scene

“Don’t Forget the eGroup” Join the Santa Venetia eGroup for current neighborhood info plus

discussions. Get emails with calendar info and updates. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SV-Community

A HIGH SCHOOL THAT FITS YOU.Proudly located in the Santa Venetia Neighborhood150 N. San Pedro Road | San Rafael | CA 94903 www.themarinschool.org

The Marin County Sheriff’s Department emergency number ................................................................................................911emergency from a cell phone .............................................................. 472-0911Non-emergency (24-hour Communications) ................................ 479-2311Crime Prevention ....................................................................................... 499-7263Victim/Witness ............................................................................................ 499-6450City of San Rafaelemergency ..................................................................................................................911emergency from a Cell Phone ..............................................................453-1515Non-emergency Fire Dept. ..................................................................... 485-3300Non-emergency Police Dept. ................................................................ 485-3000San Rafael emergency/Disaster Info Hotline ..................................485-5070Flood Control/Clogged DrainsWorking Hours ............................................................................................ 473-6528After 5pm/Weekends .................................................................................473-7513Community Development Agency/PlanningFront Information Counter .................................................................... 473-6269If you see dumping (get license #) ...................................................... 479-2311To request dumped stuff pick-up ....................................................... 473-7388PG&e underground Alert ..............................................................800-227-2600PG&e electrical outage ..................................................................800-743-5002

Community Compass


Join us — Community Meeting Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014 • Meeting starts at 7pm

Supervisor Susan Adams' State of the County KoreAn PreSbyTeriAn ChurCh, AdriAn & roSAl

635 AdriAn WAy

SVNA Membership

Your Ticket to a Better Community

• Linda LeveyA warm Santa Venetia WeLCoMe to new SVNA members: Steven & Lindsay Aiello, Fred Bret-Mounet, Stevie Coyle & Valerie May, Josh Dieterich, Amy Cosby-Frost & Josh Frost, Amy Marrino, and Jannick & Gary Rosenblatt.THANKS to those neighbors that have donated extra: Pat & Kimberly Barr, Rose Katsus & David Fyfe, Sue George, Mary Lou King, and Luella Wiese. And a special thanks to Anthony & Bonnie Orofino who donated even more!And even more THANKS are due to Pat Barr. He generously brought books to the Labor Day Picnic with a sign to give a donation, which he then gave to the SVNA.As well, thank you to the SVNHN (Santa Venetia Neighbors Help-ing Neighbors) for yet another generous check for the medians fund. And finally, more thanks to Gaspare, Robin, and Danny at Gaspare’s Pizzeria for their ongoing extra donations.All these donations really add up, along with the membership renew-als, and allow us to fund the median work, social activities, community meetings, neighborhood notification efforts, and… this newsletter!

WE ARE THE SVNA AND IT’S A GREAT ORGANIzATION! WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO RENEW OR JOIN?

The SVNA Board has heard that some don’t join because they think we are an HoA and can place demands on you and your property when you join. tHAt IS Not So! We are a Neighborhood Association. We work towards the betterment of our neighborhood. The more members we have, the more power we have to protect and better our neighbor-hood. So, GooD NeWS! We’re going to try to make this easier on you and on us. Big Tent is coming to Santa Venetia!Starting 2014, we are going to a new online membership model. We are hanging our hat on “Big Tent”. Your SVNA Board is working to implement this by the beginning of the 2014. Hopefully we will get this done so you can renew your membership online. And, of course, for those who can’t get online, we will still accept your check. And remember, membership is only ongoing if you pay your dues every year. So 2014 is coming and it’s time to step up. If you haven’t joined or renewed your 2013 membership, I hope you will now. If not, 2014 is right around the corner.

Santa Venetia is a great place to live and we want to keep it that way! What would it take for you to

volunteer?If you have an interest and/or talent, join your neighbors and volunteer on one of the many SVNA/Community projects. If there is any issue you have an interest in, any committee you would like to serve on, anything you have to say – speak up! Come to a Community Meeting, join the SV eGroup, send us a letter. We want to hear from You. v

EMFsolutions.inFoCell Phone Radiation, Smart Meters, Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) —We have solutions!

Maggi Garloff [email protected] EMF Educator Wellness Products Consultant 415-613-9488 • Marin County, CA

Leslie Freed • Michael Freed

Open 7 Days a Week! Breakfast & Lunch!

BOGIE’S CAFE

48 North San Pedro Rd. • San Rafael, CA 94903415-492-1530 • bogiescafemarin.com

Card Front 9/11/06 6:08 PM Page 1

open 7 days a week Breakfast & lunchNOW OpeN fOr DiNNer: thurs,fri,Sat


Community parks Medians, neighborhood beautification Labor Day Picnic Other _____________

Advertising rates Go Up 1/01/14 Paid SVNA residents–advertise and support The Communicator. Buy 3-5/8" x 2" ad. The big Jan/Feb issue is $60 on 1/01/14; the other 5 issues $30 each. Pay one issue at a time or get one free issue by paying year in advance. Only $180 for thewholeyear,6issues,(or$150iswereceiveyourcheckbeforeyear-end)andreceive FREE 4-color on the SVNA website and in the display case. For ad specs, contact Norma Novy, [email protected], 499-9409.

Renew or start your SVNA membership and newsletter subscription today! Make check payable to and send to: SVNA, PO Box 4047, San Rafael, CA 94913-4047

woUld yoU like to VolUNteer? Come and volunteer with friends in Santa Venetia. It's fun and helps the community. Check interest.

SVNA Board Membership Committee Newsletter&proofing Attend meetings Flood Committee Land use and development Community/Vision Plan Social activities Civic Center Library Neighborhood safety Flyer distribution Phone banks Marsh, creek or neighborhood clean-ups Transportation/traffic

SVNA Membership Form $30 regular/$15 senior

YES!Signmeuptodayatthefollowingyearlyrate(checkone): $30 regular household $15seniorhousehold(65yrold+)

Additional contribution:$_______ Neighborhood Beautification Fund$_______ DisasterPreparednessTeam(DART)$_______ General Donation

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Are you responsible for your neighbor’s health?• Maggi GarloffIf PG&E installs a SmartMeter on your house and you do not object, that is your business. Right? And if you decide to buy and install wire-less equipment for your home, that, too, is just your business. Right? Well, maybe not. Maybe the decisions we make regarding wireless devices are affecting our neighbors, too.If you use a computer, take a look at the available wireless networks on your AirPort. I have anywhere from 3 to 7, none of which belong to me. even though my house is hard wired, my neighbors’ networks are in my airspace. Wireless technology and its effect on human health is a relatively new science. When change is called for, the response of large bureaucracies is slow. The FCC is currently examining health effects from exposure to non-thermal RF radiation.The American Academy for environmental Medicine (AAeM) recom-mends that physicians consider patients’ total electromagnetic (eMF) and radiofrequency (RF) exposure in their diagnosis and treatment and that they consider their RF exposure as an underlying cause of the dis-ease process. See http://aaemonline.org/AAeMeMFmedicalconditions.pdf. Medical conditions and disabilities that would likely benefit from avoiding RF exposure include: » Neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinsons, Alzheimers) » Neurological conditions (headaches, depression, sleep disruption,

fatigue) » Fetal abnormalities and pregnancy » Genetic defects and cancer » Liver, kidney and genitourinary disease » Heart disease and pulmonary conditions » Musculoskeletal effects (pain, muscle tightness, fibrillation) » Dermal (itching) » Nervous system dysfunction

If you still have a SmartMeter, please call PG&e to opt out at 1-866-743-0263, http://emfsafetynetwork.org/action-now/. If you are still using wireless devices in your home, please consider hard wiring or, at least, unplugging it when not in use. We will all benefit! vEditor's Note: Maggi Garloff is a paid advertiser in this newsletter, and her business offers services related to the topic of this opinion piece.

Now opeN!Men ~ Women ~ Children

Walk-Ins Welcome (415) 491-1824

48 N San Pedro Rd (Next to Bogie’s Café)Tuesday-Saturday 10-6

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Techno Maven

• Compiled by Linda LeveyFrom Linda LeveyCondolences As many of you know, I recently lost my mom. It’s been a hard, sad thing for me and for my family and I wanted to thank my many neighbors who offered me support and kind wishes. Also, Susannah Clark, Aide to Supervisor Adams, lost her mom just shortly after mine. our hearts go out to her.Also, our sympathies go out to the Davis Family, our neighbors who just recently lost both their parents within days of each other. Ben and Pat - you will be missed.Hit by a truck I heard from Alison Fuller that she was hit by a truck in the Santa Venetia Market parking lot last month. The driver was looking for a parking space and didn't see her. She ended up with a broken elbow and was, I imagine, scared to death. Warm wishes to Alison and hopes for a full recovery. Also, a note to all: especially with the oncoming holiday traffic and in this distracted world, be very care-ful and look ALL ways before proceeding!

Kudos to PG&E for looking out for the environment and protecting our winged wildlife. They recently replaced the transformer on the pole by the marsh and, acting on a request from neighbors, put in guards to protect birds from exposure to hot, active lines. Thank you to the San Rafael Line Crew!SV Timeline needs help The SV Commu-nity Plan Committee is putting together an historical timeline of Santa Venetia events. If you can suggest a specific historical event to be included (the biggest gap is from the ‘70s through today), please contact Russ Greenfield, [email protected], 578-2580 or visit www.peakde-

mocracy.com/1593 to add your stories yourself.From Norma NovyQigong on Santa Margarita Island meets Thursday mornings, 10-11am, across the bridge under the big oak tree, $10. Meet SV neigh-bors and leader Denise Aubin. Call Norma at 499-9409 for rain info. From Tad InouyeA great big THANKS to all SVNA neighbors who contribute to the Venetia Valley Recycling Program. If you would like to participate, please call Tad Inouye at 847-0215.

Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association (www.thesvna.org) P.O. Box 4047, San Rafael, CA 94913-4047

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association November/December 2013

Neighborly Notes

Support Our Local Advertisers 7-Eleven • Bogie’s Cafe • Chalet Basque • CMS Audio Visual Rentals EMFSolutions.Info • Gasparé’s Pizzeria • Golden Cuts & Color • Integrity Electric • James A. Walsh Real Estate • Marin Ace Hardware

Paradise Construction • One Foot at a Time • Technomaven–Computer Housecalls • The Marin School

From Diana ConnollyJack Connolly has lived in SV all of his 16 years. This summer he launched his first app for iPhone and iPad. It’s a cool game called Sprinter. Show some support for a young developer, and 100% San-ta Venetia local. Go to the Apple App Store and search for “Sprinter” by Jack Connolly. If you like it, please give it a high rating!N E IG H BORLY REQU ESTSFrom Marie-MIchel TasseMother of two small children is looking for a caregiver to assist with the care of her elderly mother. Responsibilities include: cook-ing, transportation services, light housekeeping, medication remind-ers, exercise and physical assistance, help with dressing and groom-ing, conversation and offering general companionship. Total hours would be approximately 27.5 hours per week. If you are a nurturing & patient person, please call: Marie-Michel Tasse at 801-232-1562 or [email protected] Marika LoveTime share dog! – Patton is a very sweet, well-behaved dog who needs a part-time caregiver. His person, Marika, is a disabled elder who needs a little help caring for him. A few days now and then, or a regular “co-parenting” arrangement would be a big help! Please contact me at 499-0907 or [email protected]. Thank you.Also, Patton is running for Mayor of Marin in KoFY TV’s Race for the Dog House. Providing he makes it to the finals by the time you get this, you can visit http://www.kofytv.com and search for Patton to vote for him. C RI M E ACTIVITI ESFrom the eGroupLots of chatter on the eGroup about thefts in the neighborhood. Thanks to Alan Scotch for posting the following from www. crimereports.com:Breaking & entering 10/31/2013 700 Block Vendola Drive 1:27 PMTheft 10/18/2013 1 Block Labrea WayBreaking & entering 10/14/2013 800 Block estancia Way 8:33 PMBreaking & entering 10/14/2013 100 Block Labrea Way 5:00 PMBreaking & entering 10/14/2013 800 Block Rosal Way 10:09 AMBreaking & entering 10/11/2013 900 Block Adrian Way 5:55 PMFrom Dennis BortoliNeighbors behaving badly – our neighbors on the corner of Madison & Edward have a persimmon tree on their property. Van-dals went on their property and trampled their garden to pick all the persimmons leaving none for the owners of the tree.EDItor’S NotE: Please remember to keep your eyes open and if you do see something suspicious, please call 479-2311, the non-emer-gency dispatch number, to report anything out of the ordinary. The Sheriff’s Department is here to help us. v

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