Local activism comes in many forms. Two contrasting public events tonight demonstrate that range.

  The campaign to curtail or ban taser use has gained considerably support across Canada, where the RCMP is being pressured to change its policies with marches, such as this one, and legislative inquiries.

Sonoma County 's  October 22nd Coalition Against Police Brutality has organized a march on Friday, February 13th at 5:30pm in Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, calling on the Sheriff's Department to immediately end their use of the Taser. 

Friday, February 13, 5:30 PM 

California is second only to Florida in the number of taser-related fatalities charted by the Seattle Post-Intelligener.

Candlelight Vigil for Male Victims of Domestic Violence

Join in a candlelight vigil in memory of the men who recently lost their lives to domestic violence here in Sonoma County. We will honor and remember all male victims of domestic violence in a show of strength and peace.

Friday, February 13th , 6pm-7pm

Today has long been identified as the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, but the documents that would verify that don't really exist.

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John McKinsey spent a full three years delving deep into Lincoln history as he prepared to write his novel, a search that eventually took him back to original source documents.

Visit the website for the Lincoln Secret.

Former Sebastopol resident John McKinsey, author of The Lincoln Secret,  has been writing fiction, and non-fiction alike nearly his entire life. He is the co-author of an undergraduate textbook, Understanding the Law, that teaches college students the basic legal workings of life in the United States. McKinsey is a graduate of Analy High School, California State University, Sacramento and the School of Law at U.C. Davis. He lives in Northern California with his wife and has done extensive travel and research to gather information for this piece of historical fiction.  

Here's a partial list of his upcoming bookstore readings in our region:

Copperfield's Books, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa

Saturday, Feb. 14, 1:30 pm

Copperfield's Books, Petaluma

Saturday, Feb. 28, 1:30 pm

Vacaville Public Library

Wednesday, March 4, 7 pm

Copperfield's Books, Napa

Click here for information about how to volunteer with the Sonoma County 2-1-1 program.

 As for the dubious Property Tax Reassessment solicitations, homeowners are advised that the county does not charge for this service, and southern California companies that offer to do it for a fee should not be taken at face value, especially any deadlines they may set. The Sonoma County Assessor's office has set no such deadlines. If you have recieved such a solicitation, you are invited to contact the Sonoma County District Attorney's office at (707) 565-3161.

You can download the form for a no-c0st reassessment of your Sonoma County property directly from the County Assessor's website.  Questions for the Assessor's office can also be called in to (707) 5651888. 

 Newly preserved and restored, a rare piece of bay area history reopens for visitors on Sunday.  (See below for details of the reopening day ceremonies)

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The federal immigration station on Angel Island, as seen above in 1915,  was reached by a long wooden dock which no longer exists. Most of the other structures remain, with the exception of the main administration building (seen in the left foreground in the photo below), which was partially destroyed by fire in 19xx.  The restored barracks building is on the hill to the right, with the station hospital on the far hill to the left. You can read a much more extensive history of the facility here. 

One of the interpretive park rangers at Angel Island, Casey Lee, describes and then translates a poem that was carved into the wooden wall in one of the smaller rooms at the Immigration Station barracks. It has been preserved and will now be on public display.

Poetic Waves  is a elegant and detailed website devoted to the poetry of Angel Island.

You can also read a more scholarly article about the carved poetry here.

The Grand Re-Opening of the U.S. Immigration Station at Angel Island will be celebrated on  Sunday, February 15, 2009 with a public Dedication Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This will be followed by public tours from Noon to 3 p.m. with presentations by storyteller Charlie Chin; performance artist/dancer Melody Takata, ; historical re-enactor Silvia Lange; and museum designer Daniel Quan.

Free admission, free tram service on Angel Island, and reduced rates on ferries from San Francisco and Tiburon are available. See schedule below. You must take the 8:45 a.m. ferry from San Francisco or the 8:50 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to attend the Dedication Ceremony. For complete schedule, visit www.aiisf.org.

Tram to U.S. Immigration Station, Angel Island Schedule

Departs Ayala Cove at 10:00 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Trams will depart from the Immigration Station for Ayala Cove every half hour starting at noon. Visitors are encouraged to walk one mile to the U.S. Immigration Station from Ayala Cove as space on the trams is limited. Walk and enjoy the beautiful view of the Sonoma Valley and the Bay.

Visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park in advance at 415-435-5390.

Tiburon Ferry Schedule

Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry, 21 Main St., Tiburon, CA

Depart Tiburon-Arrive at Angel Island, Ayala Cove

Depart - 8:50 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Depart Angel Island-arrive at Tiburon

Depart 1:20 p.m., 3:20 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.

San Francisco Ferry Schedule

San Francisco Blue and Gold Fleet

Depart San Francisco Pier 41-Arrive at Angel Island, Ayala Cove

Depart - 8:45 a.m.- 10:35 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.

Depart Angel Island-arrive at San Francisco Pier 41

 You can check the weather conditions at the Island by looking at the Ayala Cove webcam here.