Free Will Astrology: Week of Sept. 11

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): One of the longest bridges in the world is the 24-mile-long Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. During one eight-mile stretch, as it crosses Lake Pontchartrain, travelers can’t see land. That freaks out some of them. You might be experiencing a metaphorically similar passage these days, Aries. As you journey from one mode to the next, you may lose sight of familiar terrain for a while. My advice: Have faith, gaze straight ahead and keep going.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My horoscopes don’t necessarily answer questions that are foremost in your awareness. This might annoy you. But consider this: My horoscopes may nevertheless nudge you in unexpected directions that eventually lead you, in seemingly roundabout ways, to useful answers. The riddles I offer may stir you to gather novel experiences you didn’t realize you needed. Keep this in mind, Taurus, while reading the following: In the coming weeks, you can attract minor miracles and fun breakthroughs if you treat your life as an art project. I urge you to fully activate your imagination and ingenuity as you work on the creative masterpiece that is YOU.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Gemini musician known as Prince got an early start on his vocation. At age 7, he wrote “Funk Machine,” his first song. Have you thought recently about how the passions of your adult life first appeared in childhood? Now is an excellent time to ruminate on this and related subjects. Why? Because you are primed to discover forgotten feelings and events that could inspire you going forward. To nurture the future, draw on the past.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You are lucky to have an opposable thumb on each of your hands. You’re not as lucky as koala bears, however, which have two opposable thumbs on each hand. But in the coming weeks, you may sometimes feel like you have extra thumbs, at least metaphorically. I suspect you will be extra dexterous and nimble in every way, including mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You could accomplish wonders of agility. You and your sexy soul may be extra supple, lithe and flexible. These superpowers will serve you well if you decide to improvise and experiment, which I hope you will.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The internet is filled with wise quotes that are wrongly attributed. Among those frequently cited as saying words they didn’t actually say, Buddha is at the top of the list. There are so many fraudulent Buddha quotes in circulation that there’s a website devoted to tracking them down: fakebuddhaquotes.com. Here’s an example. The following statement was articulated not by Buddha but by English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray: “The world is a looking glass. It gives back to every man a true reflection of his own thoughts.” I bring these thoughts to your attention, Leo, because it’s a crucial time for you to be dedicated to truth and accuracy. You will gain power by uncovering deceptions, shams and misrepresentations. Be a beacon of authenticity!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Peregrine falcons can move at a speed of 242 miles per hour. Mexican free-tailed bats reach 100 miles per hour, and black marlin fish go 80 mph. These animals are your spirit creatures in the coming weeks, Virgo. Although you can’t literally travel that fast—unless you’re on a jet—I am confident you can make metaphorical progress at a rapid rate. Your ability to transition into the next chapter of your life story will be at a peak. You will have a robust power to change, shift and develop.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Mythically speaking, I envision a death and rebirth in your future. The death won’t be literal; neither you nor anyone you love will travel to the other side of the veil. Rather, I foresee the demise of a hope, the finale of a storyline or the loss of a possibility. Feeling sad might temporarily be the right thing to do, but I want you to know that this ending will ultimately lead to a fresh beginning. In fact, the new blooms ahead wouldn’t be possible without the expiration of the old ways. The novel resources that arrive will come only because an old resource has faded.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Did you ever have roommates who stole your credit card and used it to buy gifts for themselves? Does your history include a friend or loved one who told you a lie that turned out to be hurtful? Did you ever get cheated on by a lover you trusted? If anything like this has happened to you, I suspect you will soon get a karmic recompense. An atonement will unfold. A reparation will come your way. A wrong will be righted. A loss will be indemnified. My advice is to welcome the redress graciously. Use it to dissolve your resentments and retire uncomfortable parts of your past.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): One of my oldest friends is Sagittarius-born Jeffrey Brown. We had rowdy fun together in our 20s. We were mad poets who loved to party. But while I went on to become an unruly rock-and-roll musician, experimental novelist and iconoclastic astrologer, Brown worked hard to become a highly respected, award-winning journalist for the PBS News Hour, a major American TV show. Among his many successes: He has brought in-depth coverage of poetry and art to mainstream TV. How did he manage to pull off such an unlikely coup? I think it’s because he channeled his wildness into disciplined expression; he converted his raw passions into practical power; he honed and refined his creativity so it wielded great clout. In the coming months, dear Sagittarius, I urge you to make him one of your inspirational role models.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s hypothesize that you will be alive, alert and active on your 100th birthday. If that joyous event comes to pass, you may have strong ideas about why you have achieved such marvelous longevity. I invite you to imagine what you will tell people on that momentous occasion. Which practices, feelings and attitudes will have turned you into such a vigorous example of a strong human life? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate on these matters. It will also be a favorable phase to explore new practices, feelings and attitudes that will prolong your satisfying time here on planet Earth.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Few Americans are more famous than George Washington. He was a top military leader in the Revolutionary War before he became the country’s first president. George had a half-brother named Lawrence, who was 16 years older. Virtually no one knows about him now, but during his life, he was a renowned landowner, soldier and politician. Historians say that his political influence was crucial in George’s rise to power. Is there anyone remotely comparable to Lawrence Washington in your life, Aquarius? Someone who is your advocate? Who works behind the scenes on your behalf? If not, go searching for them. The astrological omens say your chances are better than usual of finding such champions. If there are people like that, ask them for a special favor.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Over 15 centuries ago, Christian monks decided Fridays were unlucky. Why? Because they were the special day of the pagan Goddess Freya. Friday the 13th was extra afflicted, they believed, because it combined a supposedly evil number with the inauspicious day. And how did they get their opinion that 13 was malevolent? Because it was the holy number of the Goddess and her 13-month lunar calendar. I mention this because a Friday the 13th is now upon us. If you are afraid of the things Christian monks once feared, this could be a difficult time. But if you celebrate radical empathy, ingenious intimacy, playful eros and fertile intuition, you will be awash in good fortune. That’s what the astrological omens tell me.

Homework: Imagine an adventure you would like to create and tell stories about in the future. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Get Carded: SoCo Library Card Sign-Up Month

I have often mused that if we carried more library cards than credit cards, we’d be a more literate and less consumerist society.

A capitalist might say that book sales would drop, but mine won’t—they could only go up at this point, so I have no fear of the librarians at the gate. It’s quite the opposite, especially this month, which is Library Card Sign-Up Month and continues through September.

This annual promotion invites readers to obtain a free library card and explore all the library offers, which is more than one might think. Sonoma County Library has more than 600,000 physical items at its 14 libraries, three special collections and a mobile library van. During its most recent fiscal year (2023-2024), more than 1.4 million people visited a library branch, and total book and online circulation reached 4.4 million.

Of course, library cards are free. There is no age limit for receiving a card, though children do require a parent or guardian’s signature to receive one of their own.

Bring a valid photo ID to a branch to apply for a new card in person. Cardholders can check out up to 100 library materials at a time, request items from another library, enjoy eBooks and online audiobooks, use library computers and printers, attend library events and much more.

Pro tip: A library card is also the way to get the most out of mobile apps like Biblio (ebooks and audiobooks), Hoopla (ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV and comic books) and Kanopy (movies—it’s basically the Criterion Collection but free and, like Hoopla, streamable on a smart TV).

Moreover, on Sept. 1, the library released two new library cards. The first card, created by Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, features beloved Peanuts characters Franklin, Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy and is emblazoned with the message, “Libraries Are for Everyone.” An alternative version has the identical message in Spanish: “Las bibliotecas son para todos.”

“Charles Schulz was a lifelong reader, and his love of books and all forms of literature fed his creative genius,” said Chris Bracco, senior vice president creative director at Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates. “We are proud to collaborate with the Sonoma County Library on this new library card. We hope that the new card will inspire readers of all ages to embrace the wonderful opportunities available to them at any Sonoma County library.”

The second library card features the artwork of local second grader Caleb T., winner of a summer library card art contest. More than 200 local students submitted a proposed library card drawing based on the question, “What does Sonoma County Library mean to you?” Library staff voted for their favorites, and Caleb T’s “Everyone’s Invited/Todos están invitados” design was selected as the contest winner. Honorable Mention awards were presented to Hana Leah D., Ubaydatullah H. and Dalila S.

As an added incentive to get a library card this month, new cardholders can win a private tour of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and skate passes to Snoopy’s Home Ice arena or an Oliver’s Market gift card. To check out available library card designs, go to sonomalibrary.org/LibraryCards.

The Sonoma County Library card—don’t leave home without it.

Block Party: Natasha Juliana & Cool Petaluma

Most news stories fit a pattern and can quickly be filed away—news and dispatches reinforcing the status quo or accelerating its doom like a flaming stock car.

But here is a pattern to break the pattern—a counter-current that is as refreshing as an ocean breeze on a scorching summer day—Cool Petaluma.

Cool Petaluma is a non-profit effort to train neighborhood volunteers to organize disaster preparedness and climate action, block by neighborhood block. It has trained and equipped 200 “block leaders” in Petaluma. It is nothing less than a bottom-up effort to avert further climate change that reinvigorates local democracy by training local leaders and reconstituting the neighborhood social unit.

And that’s why everyone is so excited.

In this week’s column, I interview Natasha Juliana, one of Cool Petaluma’s three co-directing co-founders.

CH: Natasha, your good ecology is rooted in the ’60s counter-cultural “back to the land” movement and an upbringing in a Humboldt Redwood forest. How does that inform your contemporary work?

NJ: At Cool Petaluma, we ask how we can bring a vision of care and love, community and beauty to the center of the climate action movement.

CH: The brilliance of your shared idea is that these things give one the emotional resilience to face the problems most of us are avoiding. You have the love and the strength of your block behind you.

NJ: And they create a lens through which we can see a new world.

CH: A new world is what’s required—a complete transformation of our lifestyle. But you equip your cool block leaders with heavily researched sets of incremental changes these neighborhood teams can take. I understand a lot of what you teach is how to engage with your neighbors.

NJ: Post-pandemic, many people are anxious and lonely and longing to reconnect, to have that good old-fashioned neighborhood feel. This is an excuse to knock on your neighbor’s door.

CH: And your six-month curriculum campaign, starting with neighborhood disaster response, plays out over wine meetings, movie nights and BBQs with a spirit of can-do comradery.

Learn more. This interview is a snippet from the rich audio-recorded interview. Follow this url, linktr.ee/CoolPetalumaLINX, or scan the QR to listen to it, visit Cool Petaluma’s website hub or sign up for their next block leader training—and you don’t have to be from Petaluma!

North Star Gala Supports Sebastopol Center for the Arts

Sonoma County has been a retreat and home for contemporary creatives for decades.

From Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s boundary-breaking “Running Fence” and Ned Khan’s mesmerizing elemental installation sculptures, to the bittersweet, contemplative comics of Charles Shultz and the darkly poetic music of Tom Waits, Sonoma County is an inspiration—maybe even a North Star—for artists creating meaning with their work.

Honoring and supporting this integral work, the Sebastopol Center for the Arts presents the Second Annual North Star Gala, the center’s annual fundraising event celebrating art and artists, on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 5-9 pm. This year, the aptly-named gala will host an evening extravaganza honoring art and artists, while raising funds to support the center’s many programs and sharing the myriad talents of the area’s creatives with patrons.

During the event, guests will enjoy a locally-sourced dinner created by chefs Daniel Kedan and Marianna Gardenhire of the award-winning, Michelin-recognized Backyard Restaurant, while sultry Parisian musical vibes permeate the evening, courtesy of Le Duo, featuring Mimi and Gabe Pirarda.

“Last year was magical,” says Serafina Palandech, executive director of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. “The event sold out, with 160 art lovers joining us to celebrate the arts and raise money for SebArts.”

Patrons will be able to meet and chat with the artists during the event and will have the opportunity to participate in an assortment of multi-sensory art experiences throughout the evening, encompassing music, visual art, film, poetry and more. But the night’s centerpiece will be a live auction with Ellen Toscano, the Singing Auctioneer.

Six desirable items will be featured at the live auction. They include a trip to Mexico, a dinner for 12 from a renowned local chef and artwork from internationally esteemed artists Ned Kahn, Maria de los Angeles, Gregory Rick and Monica Rosa.

“The works in the live auction are world-class pieces from incredibly talented and famous artists,” Palandech says. Proxy bidding will be allowed, so those who can’t attend can contact SebArts beforehand to bid on the live auction.

North Star Gala is an easy way to get involved. Even easier is the online auction, where art appreciators can start bidding right now from the comfort of their homes to support both SebArts and local artists, who will receive 40% of the proceeds. It’s a win-win-win.

“The artwork will be displayed at the gala, so I hope you will come to the event to see an incredible art exhibit of work from local, national and international artists. Seeing artwork in person is very different than viewing it online—the resonance, the emotion, the colors—all can be very impactful when seen in person,” Palandech explains. “However, if you cannot join us at the gala, all of the work is available online for bidding. This is a rare opportunity to buy original artwork.”

For those looking to support or benefit from the arts, SebArts is one-stop shopping. They offer nine programs that serve thousands of artists and art lovers around Sonoma County, including a Literary Arts program, two Open Studios programs—Art Trails and Art at the Source, an Artist Incubator Program where artists learn business skills, a film program, a choir, youth programs and summer camps, a ceramics studio, and education and performance departments.

“This year, we have partnered with several other non-profit organizations, including hosting Queer Family Picnic, Chinese New Year’s celebration, the Apple Blossom Fair and Peacetown. We average about 100+ hours of volunteer time per week,” says Palandech.

Formerly the director of AIDS Walks nationwide, fundraising and organizing for 15 years, Palandech is also an art lover, artist, mother and business owner. She was drawn to the position at SebArts—which had been suffering from Covid closures—in the spring of 2023 with a vision of building a thriving community space.

“I love the community, and I have a grand vision for SebArts,” she says, “one in which all disciplines can meet, where artists can converse with the public, that can support emerging scenes and introduce and provoke debate, where we make art and view art.”

Her grand vision for SebArts programming has manifested quickly, to the benefit of the entire county. In 2024, SebArts Gallery presented 10 exhibitions, including Reverberations, a curated show that paired works from private collections with poetry from 56 poets.

They also featured an innovative Light Show with multi-mediums, a Teen Art Show, Pulp: Book Arts and a Members’ Art Show, among others. The gallery store offers a variety of goods created by local artists and hosts two annual Art and Craft Fairs to highlight and support local artists and makers.

It’s an understatement to say that Palandech and SebArts know how to gather the community. The Literary Arts program alone featured writing salons, poetry readings, the nomination and inauguration of the Sonoma County poet laureate and a Lit Crawl with 122 authors reading at nine venues around Sebastopol.

Over 300 artists from around Sonoma County participated in Art Trails and Art at the Source, generating over $1 million in art sales revenue for the artists, with over 50,000 attendees. Meanwhile, back at the brick-and-mortar, their award-winning ceramics studio has over 50 classes annually with over 150 students, along with over 70 courses in drawing, painting, weaving, enameling and other visual arts annually.

“The gala is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” says Palandech. “Our goal is to raise $125K to support our programs and services. We are entirely privately funded by the community and do not receive public city or county grants. We need our community’s support to continue to provide this programming.”

Three artists will be honored this year at the gala—Kathryn Davy for her contributions to the Visual Arts team, Jean McGlothlin for her work with the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival and Linda Loveland Reid for her dedication to the Literary Arts program. Each of them exemplifies the spirit of community service, dedicating countless volunteer hours to SebArts and helping create something bigger than themselves.

While community art organizations across the country are closing or cutting back, SebArts has expanded its offerings. This year, SebArts aims to grow arts education for children throughout West County and seeks community support to make it happen.

“Art and artists are essential, and the community thrives because of them,” Palandech affirms. “Art making can provide an end to loneliness, bring joyful playfulness and give a sense of purpose to folks.”

Sebastopol Center for the Arts’ North Star Gala is from 5 to 9pm Saturday, Sept. 14, at

282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Tickets start at $250. For more information, call 707.829.4797 or visit sebarts.org.

The Charlie Browniest: ‘Peanuts’ musical in Rohnert Park

With the deep connection between Charles Schulz and Sonoma County, one might expect You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown to run perpetually. Rohnert Park’s Spreckels Theatre Company is hosting the Peanuts gang with a production running through September 15.

The show began its life as a series of songs by Clark Gesner. After receiving permission from Schulz, Gesner produced a concept album and then a stage adaptation. It opened off-Broadway in 1967 and enjoyed a four-year run. 

The late nineties brought revisions and a revival, noted by the addition of new music and songs by Andrew Lippa.  

There’s no plot per se, just a series of vignettes featuring Charlie Brown (Anderson Templeton), Lucy (Kaela Mariano), Linus (Tyler Ono), Sally (Nicole Stanley), Schroeder (Chase Thompson), and, of course, Snoopy (Brady Voss).

The sense of the comic strip coming alive was supported with a three-panel comic strip backdrop and simple, colorful set pieces by Eddy Hansen and spot-on recreations of the expected character clothing by Donnie Frank.

The vignettes were of familiar Peanuts moments: Charlie Brown pining for the Little Red-Headed Girl, Lucy pining for Schroeder, Schroeder pining for Beethoven, Linus pining for his blanket, Sally pining for better grades, and Snoopy pining for his dinner.  The kite-eating tree, psychiatrist booth, baseball game, and Sopwith Camel also appear.

The challenge of mounting a production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, is that it’s not really a children’s show, but you must do something to keep the tykes in attendance attentive.

Director Elly Lichenstein appears to have sought a solution to this dilemma through casting. It’s a mixture of teens and adults, and while it’s nice to see some of the area’s talented young performers get a shot at larger roles, they lack gravitas. Ono’s Linus has a wonderful bit with “Me and My Blanket” but his more philosophical moments came off as too juvenile. Thompson captures Schroeder’s love and passion for music, but his frequent expressions of anger were out of step and over the top.     

The girls come off best, with Stanley perfectly capturing Sally’s neediness and scapegoating while Mariano fully embodied Lucy’s alpha femaleness (and crabbiness). 

Voss played Snoopy for the kids which, based on the reactions from the young folks, worked well, but I missed a sense of the character’s intelligence. Silliness reigned supreme here.   

Templeton exuded Charlie Brown’s lack of self-confidence, but that anxiety seemed very real when singing. He was clearly struggling with some of the songs, and his already thin voice disappeared occasionally, as was the case with several other cast members.

The curious decision to not use mics while having a four-piece band onstage did not serve this production well. The band, under the direction of Janis Dunson Wilson, did not overpower the singing and handled the music quite well. The cast simply did not receive the amplification support they should have.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is the theatrical equivalent of opening up a dog-eared copy of a Peanuts compendium and paging your way through a trip down memory lane.   

‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’ runs through Sept 15 in the Condiotti Experimental Theater at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. Fri-Sat, 7:30 pm; Sun, 2 pm. $16 – $42. 707.588.3400. spreckelsonline.com 

Real Freedom: A Letter from the DNC

Last weekend, when I arrived back home from the Democratic National Convention, my first stop was a visit to the Sonoma County Democratic Party’s “Blue Wave BBQ & Bluau.” Still buzzing with excitement from the prior few days in Chicago, it was a pleasant surprise to see that energy had followed me home to Sonoma County.

Local volunteers were organizing postcard parties, phone banks and trips to talk to voters in the key swing state of Nevada. Community activists were plotting how best to support our excellent Democratic nominees in key red-to-blue congressional seats across California. And our local Democratic clubs were fired up—reporting higher membership and greater excitement than they’ve seen in years.

This is possible not just because of the Harris-Walz campaign and the Democratic Convention—it’s actually about something so much bigger than a few days in Chicago. It’s more than days of speeches contrasting our agenda with the darkness of Donald Trump and the dangers of Project 2025. It’s about—as Pete Buttigieg put it—a better kind of politics.

This kind of politics results when we’re brought together by visionary, not vindictive rhetoric. When we run on an agenda focused on expanding freedoms rather than stripping them away. When we unite our communities through joy, not blind them by hate.

That was the true thread I saw in Chicago: that there is hope in that kind of politics and power in fighting for the future instead of stewing over the past. And that better kind of politics is achievable if we all show up, have the tough conversations and do the hard work of being engaged.

After all, it’s not too bold to suggest that women should have the freedom to choose what they do with their own bodies. That kids be free from gun violence in schools and at home, and you are free to marry who you love. Working families should have the freedom not to have to choose between putting food on the table or paying the rent.

That’s what the Democratic National Convention reminded us of. That’s what the Harris-Walz campaign is all about—a campaign for the people and the future.

Because we’re not going back.

Ariel U. Kelley lives in Healdsburg.

California’s Last-ditch Efforts to Cut Electric Bills

The Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom have significantly scaled back their eleventh-hour plans to reduce Californians’ electric bills and fast-track renewable energy projects.

The main proposal to address California’s rising electric bills would give each household a small, one-time credit of between $30 and $70, according to a person familiar with the bill. This measure would save an estimated $500 million, which would come from cuts in utility programs that assist low-income residents and schools.

For weeks, top lawmakers and the governor’s aides have negotiated a series of proposals to address California’s twin clean energy challenges: meeting mandates for clean, carbon-free energy and reducing electric bills that are among the highest in the nation.

By the deadline last week, the state’s leaders unveiled six bills that address the cost of electricity and building of renewable energy projects.

Environmental groups, clean-energy businesses and consumer advocates have mixed feelings about them, with some saying they are largely ineffective and others saying they are a good first step.

Loretta Lynch, an environmental consultant and former California Public Utilities Commission president, said that customer bills are climbing because the commission keeps approving rate increases. She added that the Assembly measures wouldn’t address the biggest drivers of consumer costs.

“The last-minute, gut-and-amend backroom deals do not attack the root causes of California’s incredibly high energy bills,” she said. “Instead, they rob Peter to pay Paul—taking away key funds from programs that work to create a sham (consumer) bill reduction.”

But the executive director of The Utility Reform Network, Mark Toney, supported the measures, saying they are “an important first step towards affordable energy for all California residents.” He has called lowering ratepayers’ costs an urgent priority because the state could lose public support for clean energy.

Molly Croll, director of Pacific offshore wind for American Clean Power, a renewable industry group, said she was surprised by the streamlining proposal and has no position on it, since it wasn’t anything the industry lobbied the Legislature for. “We haven’t had input,” she said, echoing comments from other renewable energy groups.

Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, from Santa Rosa, said he would try again next year by bringing back more proposals.

“This is a two-year effort,” he said. “Anything worth its weight in life, anything big and bold, takes time. But we’re committed.”

Californians’ electric bills have nearly doubled over the last decade as the state’s biggest utilities have passed spending on reducing wildfire risks and transitioning rapidly away from fossil fuels. Rates are expected to continue outpacing inflation through 2027.

Two measures authored by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, from Irvine, aimed at reducing energy bills were introduced last week by gutting and amending two unrelated bills.

Assembly Bill 3121 would require ratepayers to be paid funds—reportedly amounting to a single $30 to $70 credit for each household—from a few consumer energy programs in areas served by Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric. Included are a program to upgrade school heating and air conditioning systems and two programs to help low-income Californians save on their energy bills, such as incentives for installing solar panels and rebates for energy storage.

Advocates for the programs say the proposed cuts would harm low-income Californians and children while cutting ratepayers’ utility bills only inconsequentially.

“It is a pound-foolish decision that doesn’t address the systemic (energy) affordability crisis we’re facing,” said Stephanie Seidmon, program director for UndauntedK12, a nonprofit that helps public schools transition to clean energy. “It feels more like a political stunt, and it’s unconscionable we would do that to our children, our staff members and our teachers who come to schools that are not always safe learning and working environments.”

Jennifer Robison, a Pacific Gas & Electric spokesperson, said the company hasn’t taken a position on AB 3121, but supports returning money to customers from the programs.

“PG&E shares the Legislature’s and Governor’s focus on making energy bills more affordable for our customers. We’re working to stabilize bills and limit average annual bill increases to no more than 3% through 2026,” Robison said in a statement. She added that the company has “adopted companywide savings initiatives to reduce our operating costs and limit unnecessary expenses” and is “supporting customers with ways to reduce energy use and bills.”

The second legislative proposal, Assembly Bill 3264, would require the Public Utilities Commission to study how to reduce the costs of expanding transmission capacity and report to the Legislature on energy efficiency programs funded through consumers’ utility bills.

Two other Senate bills address utility costs. Advocates said that Senate Bill 1003 would help address the cost of utilities’ wildfire plans, and Senate Bill 1142 would prevent power shutoffs for ratepayers who agree to payment plans.

Furthermore, the Senate moved forward with a considerably scaled-back version of proposals to fast-track renewable energy projects. Those proposals aimed to streamline and assist solar, offshore wind, battery storage and other green energy projects.

Senate Bill 1272 would allow the California Energy Commission to adopt an overall environmental impact report that evaluates the potential effects common to a wide range of clean energy projects. This approach allows developers to rely on that analysis in most cases, saving time and money.

Renewable energy advocates asked for more time to craft better legislation, given the bill “raises more questions than it answers.”

Instead, the clean energy groups wanted the state to update its tax code to align with federal rules, which would allow them to take advantage of renewable energy tax credits, part of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, without being taxed on them as income.

“We appreciate the intent to facilitate project streamlining, which is definitely needed, but deserves more discussion,” Shannon Eddy, executive director of the Large-scale Solar Association, said. “What clean energy projects need in that timeframe is tax conformity.”

McGuire previously backed away from proposals that would create the tax credits, streamline local and state permitting and grant “by right” approval to developers building in areas already zoned for them, eliminating the need for local approvals.

Also gone are proposals to consolidate the process by creating a “one-stop shop” system for applications, hearings and decision-making.

Due to the state’s large fiscal deficit, McGuire said that creating tax credits was difficult. He added that he would bring back the rest of the measures next year.

To meet its ambitious greenhouse gas targets, California must supply 60% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2045. Californians are facing the highest energy bills in continental America.

Your Letters, Sept. 4

Don Patrol

Our boy, Big Don, will be the next U.S. president. It’s been in the script for quite some time. The faked assassination attempt was a public ritual that sealed his new role as “president.” Don’t expect to be seeing any deportations, affronts on big pharma, money laundering diverted from the U.S.-Israel war industrial complex or a healthy respect for the privacy of citizens here in the States.

You can vote for him, if you want, or not vote for him. Your vote won’t change the outcome. I hope none of you will be sending your sons and daughters off to be sacrificed for the international banking cabal when the call is made. I’m not sure what the solution is, but Trump will not be helping us in just about any regard.

Libby Hicks

Sebastopol

via Bohemian.com

Nobody’s Hero

Let us remind ourselves about two things. First, Joe Biden is nobody’s hero. He should have quit his “job” of being on the public dole at least 10 years ago, perhaps longer. The fact that he fired himself is not remarkable in itself, even though it was exactly the right thing to do.

Second, Donald Trump has demonstrated that he is a degenerate, imbecile sociopath who should not be allowed anywhere near a position of responsibility. To confer upon him even a whiff of skill, integrity, knowledge or ability to lead is an obvious mistake. Those who believe otherwise about him are as deluded as he. There, we are reminded.

Craig J. Corsini

San Rafael

Chatty Animals, Ember Stomping, More

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Tiburon

What Does the Sea Turtle Say?

Marta Stella Wendlinger is a local artist about to host her inaugural solo exhibit, entitled “If Animals Could Talk.” The pieces that comprise this exhibition are unique and colorful collages made from and inspired by vintage National Geographic magazines. Wendlinger creates her collages with special attention to texture, color saturation, composition, pattern construction and taste (though hopefully not in the literal sense). Her collection of collages takes on symbolic, spiritual and aesthetic angles in a complex creative feat that’s downright fun to look at. The “If Animals Could Talk” exhibition is in collaboration with The Heritage & Arts Commission of Tiburon and is open now through Saturday, Oct. 26. Tiburon Town Hall and the “If Animals Could Talk” exhibition are located at 1505 Tiburon Blvd., Belvedere Tiburon.

 

Napa

Open Sesame – No, Open Studios

Open Studios Napa Valley is a self-guided citywide art discovery tour that pairs well with a pinot noir, or so they say. Come on out to Napa and enjoy finding favorites among 75-plus artists featured in this annual Open Studios event. Those who are curious about art, artists themselves and especially anyone looking to purchase a special new piece of art should consider coming out to explore—after all, there’s no better time for shopping than the fall. The Open Studios Napa Valley citywide spirit runs from now through Sept. 30, though the actual artist studios will be open from 10am to 5pm Sept. 21 through 22 and again Sept. 28 through 29. For more information, visit openstudiosnapavalley.com.

Glen Ellen

Take a Hike

Fitness fanatics and nature enthusiasts alike may rejoice in answering the call of the wild (i.e., hiking in Jack London State Historic Park). Anyone who wants to take a hike, the guided kind, may do so in a series of hikes every Saturday beginning Sept. 7 and ending Oct. 5. Note that dogs are not invited along on these hikes, to protect the natural wildlife. Each hike in this series costs $15 per person plus a park entry fee of $10 per vehicle. Except for hike #3, all of the hikes take place at Jack London State Historic Park, located at 2400 London Ranch Rd. in Glen Ellen. Visit jacklondonpark.com to purchase tickets or learn more.

San Rafael

We Didn’t Start the Fire

Ember Stomp is back for yet another year of teaching California locals one thing: Only you can prevent wildfire. This event is educational, free to attend and designed for the whole family. There will be burn demos, food trucks, fire smart landscaping classes, live music, face painting and so much more. So, do Smokey the Bear proud and come on out to this year’s Ember Stomp 2024. To learn more, visit the website at firesafemarin.org. This year’s Ember Stomp takes place from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Marin Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Dr., San Rafael.

Free Will Astrology: Week of Sept. 4

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 2015, a large earthquake struck Nepal, registering 7.8 on the Richter scale. It was so powerful, it shrunk Mt. Everest. I mention this, Aries, because I suspect you will generate good fortune in the coming months whenever you try to shrink metaphorical mountains. Luckily, you won’t need to resort to anything as forceful and ferocious as a massive earthquake. In fact, I think your best efforts will be persistent, incremental and gradual. If you haven’t gotten started yet, do so now.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): We don’t know the astrological sign of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, who ruled from 51 to 30 B.C.E. But might she have been a Taurus? What other tribe of the zodiac would indulge in the extravagance of bathing in donkey milk? Her staff kept a herd of 700 donkeys for this regimen. Before you dismiss the habit as weird, please understand that it wasn’t uncommon in ancient times. Why? Modern science has shown that donkey milk has anti-aging, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. And as astrologers know, many of you Tauruses are drawn to luxurious and healing influences that also enhance beauty. I recommend you cultivate such influences with extra verve in the coming days.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In two trillion galaxies stretched out across 93 billion light years, new stars are constantly being born. Their birth process happens in stellar nurseries, where dense clouds of gas coalesce into giant spheres of light and heat powered by the process of nuclear fusion. If you don’t mind me engaging in a bit of hyperbole, I believe that you Geminis are now immersed in a small-scale, metaphorical version of a stellar nursery. I have high hopes for the magnificence you will beget in the coming months.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The planet Mars usually stays in your sign for less than two months every two years. But the pattern will be different in the coming months. Mars will abide in Cancer from Sept. 5 to Nov. 4 and then again from Jan. 27 till April 19 in 2025. The last time the red planet made such an extended visit was in 2007 and 2008, and before that in 1992 and 1993. So what does it mean? In the least desirable scenario, you will wander aimlessly, distracted by trivial battles and unable to decide which dreams to pursue. In the best scenario, you will be blessed with a sustained, fiery devotion to your best and most beautiful ambitions.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Famous rock musicians have on occasion spiced up their live shows by destroying their instruments on stage. Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana smashed many guitars. So did Jimi Hendrix, who even set his guitars on fire. I can admire the symbolic statement of not being overly attached to objects one loves. But I don’t recommend that approach to you in the coming weeks. On the contrary, I believe this is a time for you to express extra care for the tools, machines and apparatus that give you so much. Polish them up, get repairs done, show them you love them. And if you need new gizmos and gear to enhance your self-expression, get them in the near future.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In all of world history, which author has sold the most books? The answer is Agatha Christie, born under the sign of Virgo. Readers have bought over 2 billion copies of her 70-plus books. I present her as a worthy role model for you during the next nine months. In my astrological opinion, this will be your time to shine, to excel, to reach new heights of accomplishment. Along with Christie, I invite you to draw encouragement and inspiration from four other Virgo writers who have flourished: 1. Stephen King, 400 million in sales from 77 books. 2. Kyotaro Nishimura, 200 million in sales from over 400 books. 3. Leo Tolstoy, 413 million from 48 books. 4. Paul Coelho, 350 million from 28 books.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Centuries before the story of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, there was a Greek myth with similar themes. It featured Persephone, a divine person who descended into the realm of the dead but ultimately returned in a transfigured form. The ancient Festival of Eleusis, observed every September, honored Persephone’s down-going and redemption—as well as the cyclical flow of decay and renewal in every human life. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to observe your own version of a Festival of Eleusis by taking an inventory: What is disintegrating and decomposing in your own world? What is ripe for regeneration and rejuvenation? What fun action can you do that resembles a resurrection?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to take inventory of your community and your network of connections. Here are questions to ask yourself as you evaluate whether you already have exactly what you need or else may need to make adjustments. 1. Are you linked with an array of people who stimulate and support you? 2. Can you draw freely on influences that further your goals and help you feel at home in the world? 3. Do you bestow favors on those you would like to receive favors from? 4. Do you belong to groups or institutions that share your ideals and give you power you can’t access alone?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.” Sagittarian humorist James Thurber said that, and now I’m conveying it to you. Why? Well, I am very happy about the progress you’ve been making recently—the blooming and expanding and learning you have been enjoying. But I’m guessing you would now benefit from a period of refining what you have gained. Rather than even more progress, I feel you need to consolidate and integrate the progress you have so robustly earned.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The people of Northern Ireland have over 70 colorful slang terms for being drunk. These include splootered, stonkied, squiffy, cabbaged, stinkered, ballbagged, wingdinged, bluttered and wanked. I am begging you, Capricorn, to refrain from those states for at least two weeks. According to my reading of the omens, it’s important for you to avoid the thrills and ills of alcohol. I am completely in favor of you pursuing natural highs, however. I would love you to get your mind blown and your heart opened through epiphanies and raptures that take you to the frontiers of consciousness.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Beginning 11,000 years ago, humans began to breed the fig. It’s the world’s oldest cultivated food, preceding even wheat, barley and legumes. Many scholars think that the fig, not the apple, was the forbidden fruit that God warned Adam and Eve not to munch in the famous Biblical passage. These days, though, figs rarely make the list of the fruits people love most. Their taste is regarded by some as weird, even cloying. But for our purposes, I will favorably quote the serpent in the Garden of Eden: “When you eat the fig, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.” This is my elaborate way of telling you that now may be an excellent time to sample a forbidden fruit. Also: A serpent may have wise counsel for you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The coming weeks would be an excellent time to file lawsuits against everyone who has ever wronged you, hurt you, ignored you, misunderstood you, tried to change you into something you’re not and failed to give you what you deserve. I recommend you sue each of them for $10 million. The astrological omens suggest you now have the power to finally get compensated for the stupidity and malice you have had to endure. JUST KIDDING! I lied. The truth is, now is a great time to feel intense gratitude for everyone who has supported you, encouraged you and appreciated you for who you really are. I also suggest you communicate your thanks to as many of your personal helpers and heroes as you can.

Homework: What are you afraid or too timid to ask for? I dare you to ask for it. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Free Will Astrology: Week of Sept. 11

Free Will Astrology: Week of Sept. 11
ARIES (March 21-April 19): One of the longest bridges in the world is the 24-mile-long Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. During one eight-mile stretch, as it crosses Lake Pontchartrain, travelers can’t see land. That freaks out some of them. You might be experiencing a metaphorically similar passage these days, Aries. As you journey from one mode to the next, you...

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Most news stories fit a pattern and can quickly be filed away—news and dispatches reinforcing the status quo or accelerating its doom like a flaming stock car. But here is a pattern to break the pattern—a counter-current that is as refreshing as an ocean breeze on a scorching summer day—Cool Petaluma. Cool Petaluma is a non-profit effort to train neighborhood volunteers...

North Star Gala Supports Sebastopol Center for the Arts

Sonoma County has been a retreat and home for contemporary creatives for decades. From Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s boundary-breaking “Running Fence” and Ned Khan’s mesmerizing elemental installation sculptures, to the bittersweet, contemplative comics of Charles Shultz and the darkly poetic music of Tom Waits, Sonoma County is an inspiration—maybe even a North Star—for artists creating meaning with their work. Honoring and supporting...

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California’s Last-ditch Efforts to Cut Electric Bills

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Your Letters, Sept. 4

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Chatty Animals, Ember Stomping, More

Tiburon What Does the Sea Turtle Say? Marta Stella Wendlinger is a local artist about to host her inaugural solo exhibit, entitled “If Animals Could Talk.” The pieces that comprise this exhibition are unique and colorful collages made from and inspired by vintage National Geographic magazines. Wendlinger creates her collages with special attention to texture, color saturation, composition, pattern construction and...

Free Will Astrology: Week of Sept. 4

Free Will Astrology: Week of Sept. 4
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 2015, a large earthquake struck Nepal, registering 7.8 on the Richter scale. It was so powerful, it shrunk Mt. Everest. I mention this, Aries, because I suspect you will generate good fortune in the coming months whenever you try to shrink metaphorical mountains. Luckily, you won’t need to resort to anything as forceful and...
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