Although its effects still linger, the recession is drawing to a close and we start to see things turning around and, in some cases, coming to a close. Here at the magazine we get in trouble with deer and cougar people and we write about sights that won’t be around much longer, like plastic bags and Golden Gate Bridge toll takers. Larkspur Landing is purchased and becomes Marin Country Mart, and we cover Marin personalities like Biz Stone, Carlos Santana, Tim Hockenberry, Michael Chabon, Hal Brown and more. We also hold the presses for a 2010 gubernatorial debate.
SOUND BITES
JANUARY We ask local musician Tim Hockenberry about the phenomena of “cougars” in Marin — and we don’t mean the cat. He responds that there should be fewer of them and Cougargate is born.
JANUARY We talk to Mohammad Faroqi about the Marin County sheriff who purchased a winning Mega Millions lottery ticket at the Chevron Food Mart he manages on Seminary Drive. The sheriff received $75.7 million; store employees received a bonus.
FEBRUARY An ad we run for Specialized Bikes makes an attempt at humor when it mentions T-boning a deer at 40 mph on mountain trails. The joke falls flat for many readers and our Letters box fills up.
JUNE We hear from Golden Gate Bridge authorities after running photographer Jay Graham’s shot of the bridge that was taken on the bridge. We learn you need to have a permit to do that for commercial purposes.
NOVEMBER We hold the presses to do a story on Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman’s gubernatorial debate at Dominican University and send the copy the next day.
FAMOUS FACES
Marin’s own Carlos Santana discusses his Milagro Foundation, which provides support for many Marin organizations that help children and also runs garden and nutrition programs. Santana says Grammys are nice but counts this foundation as his biggest hit.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
In this June feature, writer Somer Flaherty and photographer Tim Porter look into Marin’s water supply after the Marin Municipal Water District approves a $105 million desalination plant. They also report that plans for the plant were scuttled after heavy rains overfilled local reservoirs.
