Some creative new measures have helped Sebastopol's Palm Drive hospital climb back out of bankruptcy.

Providing outpatient medical services to the inmates of San Quentin prison has become a helpful additional source of revenue for Palm Drive. Getting that program started with the California Department of Corrections (CDC) mostly required a little extra entreprenurial initiative, according to hospital CEO Jim Russel (below).

Palm Drive is also  trying something new by having psychologist Dr. David J. Murphy (below) on call to assist with mental health crises in the hospital emergency room.

By assisting and intervening as the individuals are admitted, he is often able diffuse volatile situations,and avoid the involvement of law enforcement personnel.This both reduces costs at county facilities, and enables the patients to receive treatment closer to home. 

The Petaluma River has a long and interesting history, and some new Friends who want to make that history better known.

David Yearsley is a co-founder and  Executive Director of the Friends of the Petaluma River, which has the following mission and goals:

Mission: To promote stewardship of the Petaluma River. We work throughout its watershed; providing access opportunities, educational materials, and conservation programs. We also provide a voice for the River's inhabitants and resources in public affairs.

Goals: Access, Education, and Conservation

• To establish a permanent presence in the watershed; becoming the first non-government organization to work fulltime for the betterment of the Petaluma River and its inhabitants
• To pursue outreach and educational activities that will foster enthusiasm and commitment in the watershed for long term sustainable stewardship.
• To monitor conditions and engage in activities that will reduce or prevent pollution and lessen other harmful impacts on the River and its wetlands.
• To create a River Heritage Center as a community resource. A place to archive information, host events, administer programs, and coordinate river related activities

 

For people who want to get a close-up look at the Petaluma River,  Dolphin Charters will again offer their 3 hr. River tours on April 5th, 6th, 11th & 12th aboard the Delphinus (seen at left). To learn more about them, visit Dolphin Charters’ website.

One personal encounter was the turning point that brought a Petaluma man into his present role, leading one of the county's largest provider of services to the homeless.

 John Records, Executive Director, Committee on the Shelterless.

In the second part of this report on the ways in which COTS is responding to the upturn in demand for their services, Records defines what are being called th "new homeless," and outlines some of the measures being developed to serve them.

The history of COTS is a tapestry of many individual stories, some of which have been compiled in a book recently published by the agency. Invitation to Service:  Stories from COTS relates the stories of clients, families volunteers and friends and their experiences through COTS. Tours of their facilities in Petaluma and Rohnert Park are offered monthly. You'll find dates and other information here.

Marin County historian Dewey Livingston will talk about and sign his book about Nicasio at a special event at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 22, at 3 pm. The Library is located at 20 Fourth street, and the event is free. Information at (707) 788-4398 or info@petalumamuseum.com. You can see a video preview with Livingston below.

 

 Once the most prominent building in the town, the Nicasio Hotel (above) was built in 1867, but was destroyed by fire in 1940.

Livingston's book about Nicasio, published last year by the Nicasio Historical Society , begins with the earliest known human presence in the valley. But here, as in many other places, the native people were displaced and treated badly by the new arrivals.

Today, the town of Nicasio (seen above approaching the town square) hosts its own website, which may come as a surprise to outsiders. In reseaching his book on the town and its denizens, Dewey Livingston says he also met with a couple of welcome surprises.

 Below: the Tomasini Dairy Ranch at Nicasio, circa 1890.

California Farmlink is hosting a series of regional conferences in Sonoma, Humboldt and San Luis Obispo counties titled Sowing the Seeds of Farm Succession:  Planning the Transition to the Next Generation of Family Farmers. the next session in Sonoma county will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21 at SRJC's Shone Farm, 6225 Eastside Road, Forestville. Click here for registration information.