Dominican Area News€¦ · Boomer is a 2- 1/2 year old black lab. Being labrador retrievers, they need a lot of exercise. you might see Bailey walking around with an empty plastic

Dominican Area NewsDominican/Black canyon neighBorhooD association | P.o. Box 151702 | san rafael, ca 94915-1702 | sPring 2010

Please join us for the

DBCNA Annual MeetingWednesday, May 19 at 7:00 pm

Creekside Room on the Dominican Campusat corner of Magnolia and Palm Avenue (left of the cafeteria)

sodas and munchies will be served

Come Be A Part of Your Communityevery resident welcome — non-members, too!

MEETING AGENDA

6:30 Pre-Meeting, Meet and Greet

7:00 Welcome

7:05 Neighborhood News Update: new developments and upcoming events affecting your neighborhood.

7:20 Dominican University Update: including updates on the sudden oak death project, edgehill mansion, field of Dreams and more.

7:40 Police Beat: ask questions of our “Beat cop”.

8:00 Aging in Your Own Home: marin Village offers new help for those seniors wishing to remain independent in their homes.

8:15 Marin Rocks: the marin history museum has a lively presentation previewing their new rock anD roll exhibit opening on fourth street.

8:30 Adjourn

For membership information, please see page 7.

You must sign up by May 10.Great DBCNA Member Price: $65

(for 15 cubic yards)

SEE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILS.

Chipper Day is Wednesday May 19th • New Process!!

DOMINICAN AREA NEWS | sPring 2010

Dominican/Black canyon neighBorhooD association | 2

Rent to DU Students? Social Host to Students?last semester, several neighbors mentioned that they wanted to be involved in some of Dominican University’s programming for international students. in response to this request, Dominican University has developed a process whereby neighbors can host international students socially, as well as provide them rental housing. Please note that this program also applies to non-international students, either undergraduates or graduates.

if you are interested in participating in our student outreach efforts, please contact John kennedy, Vice President for student life at Dominican University of california ([email protected], 485-3282).

580/101 Connector Project

the 580/101 connector Project will rebuild the connector from westbound (WB) 580 to northbound (nB) 101, including replacement of the bridge on WB 580 over Bellam Blvd., an auxiliary lane for the WB 580 offramp to Bellam Blvd., and improvements to the pedestrian facilities along Bellam and francisco Boulevards in san rafael.

construction on the 580/101 connector Project began in april, 2010. in order to replace the WB 580 bridge over Bellam Blvd, traffic will need to be rerouted onto the eB 580 bridge over Bellam Blvd. to accomplish this, the sB 101 to eB 580 and WB 580 to nB 101 connectors have been temporarily reduced to one-lane in each direction. the detour is expected to be in place for approximately seven months from mid-april through october, 2010.

computer-generated simulation of the new ramp at Bellam avenue

Meet the Pups!getting to knoW the Dominican Dogs

This is a new feature in the newsletter that focuses on dogs and their owners in our neighborhood. Bailey and Boomer are labrador retrievers owned by Arline and Doug on Grand Ave.

Bailey is a 6-year old female yellow lab. Boomer is a 2- 1/2 year old black lab. Being labrador retrievers, they need a lot of exercise. you might see Bailey walking around with an empty plastic water bottle in her mouth—we like to say she takes recycling seriously. Boomer, on the other hand, will have a ball, any kind of ball! he doesn’t discriminate. he just loVes balls in the way only a labrador retriever can.

one of the best things about moving into the Dominican (almost 5 yrs ago) has been the neighborhood! having dogs that we walk 3-4 times daily in the neighborhood and on the campus grounds, has allowed us to meet many of our neighbors, as well as Dominican students, faculty and staff. this includes both dog owners and non-dog owners.

We really appreciate the beautiful Dominican campus and know how hard the gardening crew work to keep it looking so great. another big perk is when i have to walk the dogs later in the evening, i feel much safer and secure when i walk on campus at night. even though i have my own personal canine security with me, the additional Babier security guards on campus are great. totally professional, but friendly at the same time. all in all, i’d say Bailey and Boomer are pretty lucky to live where they live. Please say hello if you should see us out walking.



other musicians rehearsed at the sausalito heliport, including the ace of cups (the first all-female psychedelic-era rock band), gale garnett and the gentle reign, Quicksilver messenger service, elvin Bishop, the sons, and the grateful Dead. another celebrated visitor to sausalito

was otis redding, who wrote “sitting on the Dock of the Bay” while renting a houseboat in 1967. that song soared to number one and today it’s the sixth-most-performed song of the 20th century (with nearly 6 million performances).

nationally and internationally-known musicians including Bob marley, fleetwood mac, sly stone, aretha franklin, mariah carey, Dave matthews, the Doobie Brothers, and

carrie Underwood rented homes in marin and recorded some of their finest albums at marin’s many recording studios, including the record Plant in sausalito and tarpan studios in san rafael. the latest cutting-edge World music continues to be recorded at mickey hart’s studio and at the ali akbar khan college of music. metallica recorded much of their latest album Death magnetic at their san rafael-hQ studios; and the grateful Dead famously rehearsed and recorded at their legendary club front, also in san rafael.

events such as the world’s first rock festival, “kfrc fantasy fair & magic mountain music festival,” held at the mt. tamalpais outdoor amphitheater will be remembered. that event, which drew over 15,000 fans the week before the historic monterey international Pop festival, is an important milestone of the 1967 “summer of love” and helped draw attention to the new “san francisco sound.”

“Marin Rocks” Exhibit to Open Downtown

The upcoming Marin Rocks exhibition, presented by the Marin History Museum, will celebrate Marin County musicians’ many accomplishments in popular music.

the exhibition will open in 2010 in mhm’s new downtown san rafael gallery, next to georges on fourth street. marin rocks will feature artifacts, photographs, film footage, and a multi-media theater, offering a blend of music, history, hands-on education, and on-stage performance. musicians will have the opportunity to play, teach and share their music and knowledge with the public, with an emphasis on collaborating with students.

marin rocks will showcase the history of the grateful Dead, Van morrison, Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the holding company, Quicksilver messenger service, Journey, Jefferson airplane and starship, James hetfield and lars Ulrich (metallica), carlos santana, sammy hagar, steve miller, tupac shakur, huey lewis and the news, Bonnie raitt, and many others.

mick Jagger, elvis costello, Pink floyd, ry cooder, nick lowe, and mark knopfler are among the hundreds of out-of-town performers who appeared at marin’s intimate clubs (including the sweetwater, Pepperland, rancho nicasio, and dozens more), and personally perused the world-famous record store Village music in mill Valley.

Tour Dominican Neighborhood: Help Out or Just Join In!the marin history museum is organizing a walking tour of the Dominican area on July 24th. the tour will start in front of the convent at 10 a.m. it lasts about an hour. Parking at the conlan parking lot. the charge for the tour is $10.00 for non-members of the marin history museum and $5.00 for members. the tour will cover the history and architecture of many of the old homes in the Dominican area. there are many stories to tell.

the marin history museum needs volunteers for this walk. We will do training and give support to anyone interested in this easy way to learn the history of an important area in san rafael. if you are interested in helping, contact Joy moss at the marin history museum or email her at [email protected].

Visit www.marinhistory.org

Come see a special presentation about Marin Rocks at our

Annual Meeting on May 19



Dominican University Highlights

Edgehill Mansion UpdateWe are nearly one year into the edgehill mansion renovation, transforming this historic building into the Dominican heritage and alumni house, including the st. catherine Benincasa chapel, student life & campus ministry center, and an on-campus home for our alumni. the mansion’s space utilization plan now also includes an expanded career center and the osher lifelong learning institute’s primary classroom and offices. the renovation is on track for completion late october 2010, and it is our hope that we will have an occupancy permit in hand to allow us to celebrate the 2010 christmas mass in the mansion.

Ten years ago on april 29, 2000, Dominican college announced that it would change its name to Dominican University with the start of the fall 2000 semester. the decision affirmed that the University’s strategic institutional Plan that committed the University to a range of baccalaureate and graduate programs. today, the University’s web site describes more than 60 academic programs that sustain the diversity and creativity of the faculty and more than 2,000 students. that number is up some 38% from the 1,442 students — including both undergraduate and graduate students — at the time of the name change. also in april 2000, the University opened its newest structure, the conlan recreation center, that students, faculty and Dominican area neighbors continue to use and enjoy.

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The Field of Dreamsthe campaign to build a new multi-field athletic field of Dreams in forest meadows will move to the top capital project priority spot upon the completion of the edgehill campaign. the $3.25 million plan includes a synthetic turf field for soccer and lacrosse and 90 car parking lot. Director of athletics terry tumey estimates 50% of the field’s usage will host community teams and programs.

2010 CensusWith the 2010 census now underway, we looked back to the growth of san rafael over the last half century and found that the population has witnessed ongoing increases in numbers. in 1960 the Us census recorded a population of some 20,292 in san rafael. twenty years later that figure more than doubled to 44, 700. then in 2000 the census reported a population of 56,063. Bets are that the current census count will be about even with the 2000 figure in san rafael. as an aside, note that one hundred years ago, in 1910, there were only 44,000 automobiles in the entire state of california or about the same number as the 1960 human population of san rafael!



International Festival – An Annual Treat

coleman elementary school’s annual international festival will be held on the school grounds on Saturday, June 5th from 11:00 - 4:00 pm. the international festival is a fun event for the entire neighborhood and showcases food, games, and crafts from around the world. international dance performances will include chinese lion dancers, irish step dancers, Ballet folklorico (traditional mexican dances), as well as student performances. the international festival also features raffles with fabulous prizes and a silent auction.

Bring your family and friends to enjoy many new festival games, a delicious lunch and celebrate the cultural diversity that hallmarks both coleman and the city of san rafael.

coleman school is located at 800 Belle ave. near rafael Dr. and Dominican University. admission is free. for more information, call 485-2420 or visit www.colemanevents.com. Proceeds benefit music, art, and physical education at the school.

imagine 4,000 san rafael public school children with no school libraries. Devastating budget cuts are threatening our elementary and middle schools, with every library clerk potentially on the chopping block

for 2010-2011. Who will open the library doors? keep books on shelves? teach important research skills?

HeadsUp, san rafael’s Public education foundation, is partnering with students for a district-wide run for reading. all children can collect pledges, physically train and run laps. the goal is to raise at least $100,000. it’s the kind of event that can fill kids with pride and instill a lifetime love of exercise.

if you’d like to help, please sponsor a neighbor who attends coleman or make a donation to the headsUp, san rafael Public education foundation. tax id: 94-2838374 or coleman Pta and drop it off at the school office on Belle avenue.

For more information on the HeadsUp program and ways you can donate, visit www.srcs.org/headsup

Touring Coleman School

if you are interested in touring coleman elementary school, the last parent tour scheduled for the school year is monday, may 17th at 9:00am. Please call 485-2420, ext. 201 to register or if you have any questions. the school welcomes any interested neighbors to find out more about your local school.

The last day of school is Thursday, June 17, 2010.

School will start in the fall on Thursday, August 19, 2010.

Kids To Run Laps for Libraries, Fitness and Fun!



925 Belle Avenue

Is Your Neighborhood Venue for Tennis & Swimming and Much More!!

Please call Chris Ventris, General Manager for more information at 457-5160

www.marintennisclub.com

Senior IssuesMarin Village is a new association for older adults designed to help members age safely at home rather than in life care communities. one in every four residents in marin is 65 or older and marin Village is a new non-profit formed with the intention of helping our neighbors age at home with confidence and grace. there will be a brief overview of “marin Village” at our annual meeting in may .

Also joining us at our May meeting will be Ruth Ramsey, Chair of the Occupational Therapy Department at Dominican University of the California. Dr. ramsey will provide an overview of her department and its programs and also talk about Dominican’s new center for health aging, a new initiative aimed at helping senior citizens to stay healthy and active.

One of our Board Members, Sandy Miller, has recently been elected as a Senior Senator of the California Senior Legislature representing Marin County. it is non-partisan, volunteer organization and she is one of 40 in the state. feel free to e-mail her at: [email protected] with any concerns or questions you may have.

News Around Town• AnewCVS drugstore is planning to occupy the site of

the former elephant Pharmacy at the corner of 3rd and grand ave.

• Georges on fourth street has benefited from extensive renovations. now, a new owner is intending to take advantage of these major improvements and open a nightclub and restaurant.

• Target has reopened its application with the city to build an outlet near the home Depot.

• Northgate Mall is continuing its revitalization with new retailers and restaurants opening all the time.

• Northgate One is also undergoing extensive renovations.

Get ReaDy MaRiN

Marin County Household Disaster Preparedness

get ready marin has updated their website with a new look, online training and much more information. it is important we all be prepared to survive for 72 hours in our homes in the case of a disaster. are yoU PrePareD?

Visit www.getreadymarin.com and click on Training to find a simple

Get Ready 2-hour class near you, or noW you can take the course online!

By the mid-1860s, chinese fishermen were netting shrimp off the california coast and by 1870 Point san Pedro’s china camp was operating as a “shrimp camp” on the shores of san Pablo Bay. chinese immigrants used traditional boats, called sampans and junks, as well as cone-shaped netting to catch bay shrimp that was cooked, dried and exported to chinese markets worldwide. the village became one of the most productive and sustained chinese fishing centers in california. in 1870 the census recorded 77 chinese males living in the camp’s 15 dwelling units. By 1880 the census recorded 469 residents. appearing in the Us geological survey as the conway stage station, china camp today features the remnants of the last surviving chinese shrimp village in the state. Visitors can see the pier measuring 305 feet as well as the shrimp drying shed that includes the original brick shed built about 1880-90. Ultimately, new commercial netting methods and discriminatory legislation forbade chinese fishing techniques, leading to the decline of the china camp operation and village population. today, san rafael residents and others enjoy china camp state Park’s 1,648 acres as a center for hiking, equestrian, cycling, fishing, boating and windsurfing activities.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

carol goepp, secretary/treasurer

sandy miller

Jim harrison

cheryl Douglas

Dan sonnet

IN ADDITION TO BOARD MEMBERS

Dan sonnet, newsletter coordinator

Polly elkin, Production editor

Paula Doubleday, layout

tracy solomon, computer guru

J.r. mccabe, history committee

Peggy toth, Website guru

Please join us at our Monthly Board Meetings. All Residents Welcome! to be notified of meeting dates, send an email to [email protected], if you are not on our email list.

many thanks to Dominican University for allowing us to use their facilities for our annual meeting, and to marin Ballet for the use of their board room for our monthly meetings.

2009/2010 Membership Dues Dominican/Black Canyon Neighborhood Association

Please support our annual meeting, fire safety program, adult social, chipper day, newsletter and other activities by sending in your annual dues of $18 today. Use the enclosed envelope.

new member

name:

e-mail: check Box if this is a neW email

address:

Phone:

yes! i would like to help.

social events

send e-mails

Deliver newsletter

Write newsletter articles

Website maintenance

Would you be interested in any of these types of events? check Box if yoU are interesteD

monthly dinner at the Dominican cafeteria

Weekly coffee meeting, business and social, drop in when you can

In November 1810, the yankee fur hunting ship, albatross arrived in Drake’s Bay. the crew soon discovered a large fur seal population on the farallone islands. they left a hunting party there while the albatross sailed down the california coast returning to Drake’s Bay in late 1811. During this time the hunting party had killed fur seals in the tens of thousands. When the ship left port it carried 73,402 seal furs valued at over $150,000. in today’s dollars that would be over $1.9 million. also in 1811, russians fur traders placed a marker on the northwest shore of san Pablo Bay. a settlement named Port rumianstev was established as well as a hunting base on the farallones.

the story of the albatross’ harvest is but one episode in the loss of california’s fur seal populations which plummeted in the aftermath of russian and european harvests some two hundred years ago. recent scholarship indicates that the fur seal populations in central and northern california had already collapsed about 600 years earlier well before european contact. causes may have included climate changes, human hunting and other factors.

Designated in 1981, the gulf of the farallones national marine sanctuary (gfnms) encompasses over 1,200 square miles of open ocean and coastal waters as well as bays and estuaries—from Bodega head in sonoma county all the way down along the san mateo county coast. the islands in its midst serve as breeding grounds for more seabirds than any other area in the contiguous United states. for more information visit www.farallones.org.

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Dominican/Black Canyon Neighborhood Association

CHiPPeR DayChipping Begins Wednesday May 19

all Dominican Black canyon residents are urged to help reduce the fire hazard in our area by trimming overgrown shrubs and trees, and removing other highly flammable vegetation.a crew will come to the front of your property during the week of may 19, 2010 and remove your cuttings.

the city of san rafael has supported our chipper Days for the past few years, but with the city’s budget cuts, this year each neighborhood needs to fund its own program.

Cost to DBCNA members is $65.00 for up to 15 cubic yards $83.00 for non-members (includes a one year membership)

Amounts greater than 15 cubic yards will be charged $10.00 for each cubic yard over the allowance

Make an Email reservation by May 10th and pay your fee by May 13th

Reservations Due

Monday May 10

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13

MAYThursday May 13Last day to make payment

Sunday May 16Your pile ready for pickup & measurement

Monday May 10 Last day to email a reservation

Wednesday May 19Chipper Day!!

Monday May 10 last day to e-mail [email protected] to make a chipping reservation. include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address.

Thursday May 13last day to make payment at 246 Mountain View Avenue. Place in box on front porch no later than 5:00 pm on thursday, or your pile will not be picked up. (no exceptions) Please make out your check to DBcna.

Sunday Evening May 16your pile must be ready for pickup by sunday evening. your quantity will be measured and you will be contacted about any extra charges.

Mulch the cuttings will be ground into a long lasting mulch that conserves water and helps suppress weeds. the contractor can leave your chippings if it can be done safely. leave a note on your pile, and tell us by email if you want them, but the final decision on whether to leave the material will belong to the crew.

• Woodyplantmaterialonly—no grass, ivy, palm fronds, weeds or Poison Oak !

• Weacceptbroom,hedgeandshrubtrimmings,andsmall tree limbs.

• Piecesupto6inchesindiameterand8feetlong,free of dirt.

• Vegetationmustbestackedneatly,inlongrowparallel to the roadway, butt end (cut end) sticking out and pointing to the street.

DO NOT BLOCK THE ROADWAY!

*ABSOLUTELY NO PALM, NAILS, LUMBER, DIRT, ROCKS, CONCRETE, WIRE, etc.

What You Can and Can’t Include in Your Pile

SAMPLE PILE SIzES:4’ h x 8’ W x12.5’ l = 15 cu yds OR

4 ft h x 5 ft W x 20 ft l (400 cu ft)/27 cu ft) = 15 cu yds

E-mail your reservation: [email protected]

for questions (not reservations) please call 456-8373

Documents

Dominican Area News€¦ · Boomer is a 2- 1/2 year old black lab. Being labrador retrievers, they need a lot of exercise. you might see Bailey walking around with an empty plastic