Mid-Week Links: The Price is Right

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Elections

The IJ made more endorsements this week, siding with the Pacific Sun on Damon Connolly and Andrew McCullough for San Rafael City Council, Bob Ravasio and Alexandra Cock for Corte Madera Town Council.  On the Larkspur City Council they chose PacSun endorsement Larry Chu but chose Ann Morrison over Brad Marsh and disagreed in the San Rafael Mayoral race, endorsing Gary Phillips over Greg Brockbank.  The IJ and PacSun agree that Novato should retain Novato City Councilmembers Jeanne MacLeamy and Madeline Kellner, but the IJ chooses Eric Lucan over PacSun's Eleanor Sluis.

College of Marin board candidates discussed the possibility of retail development along its campus in Kentfield.

Marin County

Marin County was the big news-getter this week, as we found out just how expensive living here can be, how much our economy loses because of it, and just how terrible it is to rely almost exclusively on freeways to move us around.  We're still relying on it, though, as a new County emergency operations center will be relocated to the soon-to-be-acquired Marin Commons 1600 Los Gamos.  It's a terribly unwalkable and remote location, but at least the unpleasant bus pads are nearby.  In other news:

  • In an attempt to attract workers, Larkspur Landing-based software company mFoundry is expanding into San Francisco.  The company expects the ferry to be the primary mode of transportation between the two offices.
  • Golden Gate Transit will offer ferry service to upcoming Cal football games.
  • West Marin Route 62 has been canceled due to extremely low ridership.
  • SMART has shown once again that it really likes the taste of its own foot, bizarrely insisting that it has jurisdiction over repeal efforts by RepealSMART.  The California Secretary of State disagrees.  Meanwhile, General Manager Farhad Mansourian is taking to the editorial pages to tout job creation.  But what happens if the job-talk doesn't win the day and RepealSMART succeeds?  The Press-Democrat finds out.
  • A wine bar?  On San Anselmo Avenue?  Yes, Hell has frozen over and San Anselmo should soon get a little bit of night life.
  • In a step towards a more livable town, Corte Madera is set to debate proposed rules on keeping chickens and bees in back yards.
  • Novato's planned downtown city offices have a new design and it's far, far better than the old.

The Greater Marin