◄ Epicenter Archives: July 21-24, 2025 ►
Round Up of West Marin News and Information + Community Buzz! July 21-24 Monday, July 21: Tim Isgitt, CEO of Public Media Company, on how federal funding cuts for public media will hit rural areas hardest. Tuesday, July 22: Michael Jones, a forest advisor for Medicino, Lake, and Sonoma Counties,...
Letting GO to Let Them GROW
From being hesitant in sending her kids to “Nana Camp” to watching young climbers find their own way in Joshua Tree, our writer learns that stepping back is sometimes. the greatest lesson in raising capable, confident kids!. It was a few years back when we finally let our...
Point Reyes’ affordable housing project seeing slow progress
The former Coast Guard housing in Point Reyes has just cleared a regulatory hurdle to be turned into affordable housing. But there is a lot of work to do to rehabilitate the old buildings
Jack McAuliffe: Reflections On the Passing Of A Brewing Legend
Often called the original American microbrewer, Jack McAuliffe died on July 15th and his impact on the craft beer biz is immeasurable…. Jack McAuliffe, who passed away on July 15, 2025, at age 80 was a true visionary whose creation of the New Albion Brewing Company in 1976 is considered by many to mark the beginning...
This Legendary Napa Winery Will Auction Off All 40 Vintages of Its Estate Cabernet...
Celebrating the history of Napa icon Spottswoode’s Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Christie’s is presenting a remarkable vertical of all 40 vintages produced, from 1982 through 2021. Sourced straight from the cellar of the Novak family, Spottswoode’s owners since 1972, this one-of-a-kind piece of Napa Valley history is...
Marin County wildfire agency drafts coastal defense plan
Marin fire officials are proposing a 10-year plan to improve forest health and prevent wildfires in 39,300 acres along the coast. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority says the use of mechanical equipment, prescribed burns and other treatments will help clear understory vegetation that fuel rapidly spreading...
Man drowns after swinging into Russian River
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office responded on Saturday to the Hacienda Bridge in Forest Hills after receiving reports of a man who used a rope swing to jump into the Russian River and did not resurface. Deputies and fire department units searched the waters Saturday, but authorities did not report...
Iron-sodium battery to provide community backup for high fire risk zone in California
Iron-sodium battery energy storage system specialist Inlyte Energy received a $4.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity to deploy a grid-scale battery in a fire-prone region of northern California. The funds come from DOE’s Critical Facility Energy Resilience program. The...
Petaluma Nissan dealership shuts down amid broader company troubles
North Bay Nissan in Petaluma has shut down permanently, the latest in a wave of dealership closures as parent company Nissan contends with deepening financial troubles. The dealership at 1250 Auto Center Drive ceased operations as of 3 p.m. Friday, according to a notice on its homepage. The site now features a large...
Mexican folk art gift shop to close in Healdsburg after 15 years
When Alma Vigil looked around at the colorful gifts and displays of Mexican folk art at her Healdsburg shop, tears started to come to her eyes. Overcome with pride for the work that she’s put into Alma’s Oilcloth and Chucherias, Vigil is saying goodbye in October to her store at 435 Healdsburg Ave.