Author: Wayne Dunbar

Let The Games Begin! Lisa Draper Posts First Positively Petaluma T-Shirt Photo

Congrats to Lisa Draper, a beautician at Studio 132 (Spa, Beauty & Personal Care) on Liberty Street in Petaluma, for submitting the first photo of Payton & Taylor Draper and Colleen Cline wearing the new Positively Petaluma T-shirts. Payton dressed it up for the holidays with a Santa hat – Awesome. You girls look great! Thanks for sharing and your donation to COTS.

You too will be noticed for spreading good news about our great city and giving back to your community.  Maybe you are a:

  • Restaurant or Bar owner, host(ess), or worker
  • Band or musician playing at a Petaluma venue
  • Petaluma public works, police, firefighter or politician
  • Team, athlete, or coach of a Petaluma sport.
  • Traveler in a foreign country
  • Participant at a Petaluma event or standing next to a Petaluma historical site or Landmark
  • Petaluma business owner or entire company
  • Volunteer for a Petaluma charity or docent
  • Teacher or Student at a Petaluma school or away for college
  • On a walk or hike at a Petaluma park or open space
  • Fisherman or water sportsman on the Petaluma river
  • Petaluma Author or Artist holding a copy of your book or artwork

Get creative but please keep it clean. We are a G-rated family-appropriate safe place to get information for all audiences. Who knows maybe you too will be featured on our site and social media feeds.

Over a hundred sold in just a few days.  Because $1.00 for each sale is going to COTS, that means over $100 will be donated to them in February. Let’s make that over a $1,000 by January 31, 2015.  Click here to get information on how to get yours.

ABC Channel 7 VIDEO: Rain Is Good News For #Petaluma Farmers

This ABC Channel 7 coverage has great before and after video of Petaluma’s DeBernardi Dairy farm in Two Rock.  Reporter Wayne Freedman says DeBernardi is thrilled to death about the rain as all the other ranchers are around the Sonoma and Marin County line. The Sonoma County dairyman in the interview said “Nobody thought we would have this much water, this time of year,”  The rain is lifting a big burden for all ranchers around in the area. Neil McIssac from a Clover Stornetta farm adds “We won’t have to haul any water. Tanks are running over. Springs and wells are recharged,” The article however indicates by no measure is the California drought over with, but the 20 inches that have fallen so far this year is a great relief and a good start leading into winter.

Grass Should be at Don Debernadino's ankles or higher, Photo By Press Democrat
Grass Should be at Don Debernadino’s ankles or higher, Photo By Press Democrat, December 2, 2013

Associated with article in the Press Democrat Struggling with one of the driest years on record by Jamie Hansen on December 2, 2013, it mentions the recorded rainfall was at its lowest in almost 120 years.  That year DeBernardi said “We’re gonna have to see what Mother Nature does,” he adds. “Usually, she works it all out. This year, I don’t know.”  Well we guess he was right, mother nature is working it out so far this year.

ABC Channel 7 News Anchor Ama Daetz and Wayne Freedman provide the following report, RAIN IS WELCOME SOUND FOR NORTH BAY FARMERS

Here is another video we ran into about the McIssac farm from Clover Stornetta‘s “MooTube” Channel ‘Meet the McIssac’s – A Clover Stornetta Farms dairy family’ in 2011.


Thousands Show Up For #Petaluma’s Lighted Boat Parade

Small Paddle Boat Glides By Lighted Boats
Small Paddle Boat Glides By Lighted Boats

The Petaluma turning basin was surrounded by boat-parade fans even hours before the event started on Saturday, December 13, 2015. In anticipation of the lighted boat procession, eager children chanted “Santa, Santa…” with some awesome background music from the Kenilworth Junior High Jazz Band just outside the bustling Petaluma Taps. Yachts, sailboats, paddle boats and kayaks made their way into the turning basin a little after 6:30 PM giving a beautiful reflection off the Petaluma River.

Promenade of Lighted Sail Boats
Promenade of Lighted Sail Boats

 CLICK PAGE 2 BELOW TO SEE MORE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

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VIDEO: Bixby & Mike Visit Petaluma Animal Shelter With A Yuba Reception

Bixby & Chicken Charlie Admiring Petaluma Wall Mural
Bixby & Chicken Charlie Admiring Petaluma Wall Mural

Who is Bixby and Mike? Mike Minnick is making a journey with his dog Bixby (or as Mike would like to say, Bixby is allowing her human to take him) across the country.

Why are they doing this?  Bixby has a website www.Wheresbixby.com, and he says:

         “Howdy! My name is Bixby and I’m a 4 year old rescue dog from Texas. Along with my Human “Mike” and our rubber safety chicken “Chicken Charlie”, we have emBARKed on an epic adventure bicycling around the country and raising awareness of the importance of supporting your local animal shelters.”

 

One of his stops was the Petaluma Animal Shelter.  Kaye Chandler created and posted the following video coverage on Vimeo.  In this video Bixby & Mike were greeted by the Yuba Bicycle crew.

Bixby Riding Skip the Quarter Horse In Downtown Petaluma
Bixby Riding Skip the Quarter Horse In Downtown Petaluma

Why was the Yuba Bike crew there?  Bixby and Mike are traveling across the country on a Yuba bike.  How cool is that? The bike they ride is built by a Petaluma company. Maybe Yuba can create a new line of bikes call the Bixby. If you have not heard of Yuba cargo bikes you have to check out their website.

Where did Bixby and Mike stay while in Petaluma?  They stayed at the Petaluma KOA.  He was advised about the storm.  Mike said he doesn’t pedal in the rain and that he had some shelter to stay in during his visit.

CLICK PAGE 2 BELOW TO SEE THE FACEBOOK AND TWITTER POSTS AND THE VIDEO

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NEW: Special Limited Edition Positively Petaluma Shirts – Only $5.00 With $1.00 Going to COTS

Positively Petaluma Shirt

You asked for it – you got it!  Many of our followers have asked for Positively Petaluma t-shirts.  Well, here you go.

These limited-edition Positively Petaluma shirts portray our history with landmarks of our great city. It can be yours for as little as $5.00. A dollar from each sale will be donated to COTS. We would like to thank Scott Dennison owner of Zephyr Pacific Sportswear for sharing our passion to spread good news about our community and making them available to you at his cost.

  • Perfect gift for the holidays?
  • Stocking stuffer for your favorite Petaluma friend?
  • Take it to the gym and do a few reps in one?
  • Sport one while drinking a gnarly grog at your favorite bar?
  • Wear it to one of your favorite Petaluma parades or events?
  • Sleep shirt so you can count chickens and have sweet Petaluma dreams?

Purchase as many as you like. This may be the best way to help spread positive news about Petaluma while giving a little back to our community. Get one soon because there is a limited supply and we are only offering them through January 31, 2015.

How to get one?  While you are out running errands, stop by Zephyr Sportswear at 210 F Street in Petaluma (on the Boulevard next to Pinky’s Pizza) and pick them up.  Other colors may be available. Their phone number is (707) 769-1000 or cell number is (707) 484-1785.

Zephyr Pacific Sportswear
Zephyr Pacific Sportswear

Take a selfie or photo of yourself (appropriate for all audiences) wearing this shirt at a Petaluma event or in front of your favorite Petaluma spot and we will post them in our social media feeds.  Just email your photo to [email protected].

 

10-Year Old Penngrove Boy Saves His Mother’s Life in #Petaluma

Pictured: Captain Dan Farren, Joe Kelly, and Firefighter/Paramedic Shay Burke

This story reminded me of one that we recently reported about Lewis from Forestville who save his father’s life called ‘Saves Lives Sonoma helps 13-Year Old Lewis Save the Life of His Father with CPR.’ Joe is a 10-year old from Penngrove and 5th grader at St. Vincent Elementary School.  In the video at the end of this article you will hear the 911 call and learn about the events on how Joe would help save his mother’s life in the parking lot of the Petaluma’s Plaza North Shopping Center.

A little after 7PM On December 15, 2014 Gabe Kearney, Vice Major, called the Petaluma Council meeting to order.  He announced the first agenda item was Petaluma Fire Department to present a Citizen-In-Action Award.   Captain Dan Farren and Firefighter/Paramedic Shay Burke approached the podium and started to play the 911 call.

Petaluma Fire with Joe Kelly and family
Joe Kelly and family, REDCOM Dispatch & Petaluma Fire

Captain Dan Farren indicated that on evening of September 25th 2014 at Trader Joes in Petaluma Joe noticed something was not right with his mother.  We interviewed the family and they told us that they were in Trader Joes when things were not going right. Joe assisted his mother to their car – and no matter how much Joe tried to help her nothing was working. She was nearly unconscious when he took her cell phone and called his father Dennis, a San Francisco Firefighter who was on duty at the time.  Dennis immediately called Rancho Adobe Fire in Penngrove.  The on duty captain called Redwood Empire Dispatch Communications Authority (REDCOM), which is the fire and medical dispatch for entire Sonoma County, and gave them what little information they had.  Normally when REDCOM receives a call from a cell phone they can triangulate the position from the cell towers – a ping from the cell phone – to determine the location.

CLICK PAGE 2 BELOW TO CONTINUE TO READ AND WATCH THE VIDEO

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Photos & Videos of Petaluma Storm

We are aware that the flooding caused a lot of damage to homes and business and that is definitely not a positive thing. However some made the best of it. In times that things get tough, amazing people from Petaluma rise up and show their best. Like in the article VIDEO: 80-Year-Old Heroes Saves Senior Mobile Home Park From Devastating NorCal Storm. It’s also positive to see volunteers, our city workers, police and fire coming out to help.  In these videos you will also see our firefighters working to help save 10 people that were stranded. It was a ‘snow day’ for our students, and some put on their rain boots and jumped in puddles. It even brought out thrill seekers and water sports enthusiast who took advantage of the raging creeks and flooded streets. Couldn’t get into Lagunitas, no problem, one young lady found her place afloat in front of Lagunitas drinking a cold one.  You can see that photo in our post “Need I Say More” which was shared on Facebook over 177 times in just a few days.

It’s also positive news for Petaluma to get the much needed water after our severe drought. Petaluman’s even rose up in light of the drought by improving how to grow drought resistant produce and sustainable food as covered in our article From Marketing Executive to #Petaluma Farmer: Deborah Walton created Canvas Ranch.  After recent storm we saw posts indicating that Petaluma cattle ranchers were saying they have never seen the grass grow on the hills as fast as it is. We all know the strain our local farmers/growers have been challenged with the drought.  This was illustrated in the video KPIX News Video: Demand Soars for Organic Milk #Petaluma Dairies Trying to Keep Up.

I hope you enjoy the following feed of photos and videos (which you will only find on Positively Petaluma – as some of the content was sent to us by our followers and some we created and the content is so spread out you probably would not otherwise find it yourself).

We arranged these photos and videos on multiple pages so it would not take forever for you computer to load each one all on one page. SO CLICK THE PAGE NUMBERS BELOW TO SEE THE NEXT PHOTO OR VIDEO.

These Petaluma photos were taken by Associated Press Photographer Eric Risberg.

Petaluma Woman Who Had To Have Her Starbucks Despite the Heavy Rains, Assoicated Press Photo by Eric Risberg
Petaluma Woman Who Had To Have Her Starbucks Despite the Heavy Rains Associated Press Photo by Eric Risberg
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Poppy Tooker of Louisiana Eats! Interviews Petaluma’s Liam Callahan of Bellwether Farms

Poppy Tooker Lousiana Eats89.9 WWno’s (The University of New Orleans, New Orleans Public Radio which is a part of the NPR digital network) host Poppy Tooker on Louisiana Eats! interviews our very own Liam Callahan of Petaluma’s Bellwether Farms called Why I Decided To Keep The Family Business Alive.

In the article provides the following:

           “Of course, family dynamics aren’t isolated to Louisiana. Liam Callahan followed in his mother’s lead to become a gourmet cheesemaker in the rolling hills of Petaluma, California and traveled as far as Italy to sharpen his skills. His family’s dairy has been providing sheep’s cheese to high-end stores and fining dining restaurants for roughly two decades, including the all-local, all-seasonal restaurant of Chez Panisse. Their head chef Cal Peternell has brought his family through the restaurant so often, it’s hard for him to distinguish between his domestic and professional families”

Poppy did a fantastic job of this interview and I learned a lot about how Bellwether Farms makes their world-class cheeses. (This is an audio only. For the full interview you can click on the article link above)

Here is another nice short video we found that was done about three years ago by David Carstens