One of the longest running jokes in the Tam Junction community no longer has a punchline.

The only thing that has been as much of a fixture as the eye-catching building at 256 Shoreline Hwy. that contained the Marin Oriental Rug House was the seemingly ubiquitous "Going Out of Business" sign that regularly drew chuckles from neighbors and passers-by. 

But longtime owner Max Safavi has sold the business to the Borak family, a team of brothers who opened the Roja Rugs shop at 59 Throckmorton Avenue in downtown Mill Valley in 2018. They subsequently renovated the 6,000-square-foot space in the heart of Tam Junction. 

"We are completely different ownership, and we are delighted to transform and modernize the space and fill it with a wide range of rugs and furniture," says Sahap Borak, whose family has transformed the space into Roja Home, a showroom for both rugs and furniture.

The family is hosting a Grand Opening for Roja Home May 24-26 with music, snacks and refreshments

Borak says his family owned a rug whole sale business in Burlingame for many years before shifting gears to retail in Mill Valley. 

"We've always had great feelings for Mill Valley," he says. "This town really has  a lot character and people really appreciate art here – it's a great fit for us."

The 411: Roja Rugs has purchased the former Marin Oriental Rug House and transformed it into Roja Home, a rug and furniture showroom. The owners host a Grand Opening party May 24-26 with music, snacks and refreshments. 256 Shoreline Hwy. 415.888.8294. MORE INFO.

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Well into its second decade in business, Mill Valley resident Jesse Roselin's Tutor Corps, which provides tutoring in all K-12 subjects, continues to grow and evolve. The company has launched Pacific Preparatory, an in-home, K-12 private school that promises an engaging one-on-one academic experience with flexible curriculum and scheduling.

"I am really pleased to offer more individualized services to students in Mill Valley," Roselin says. "We offer one-on-one education aligned with each student’s unique learning profile. Instruction is available in-home or online, and we value engaging curriculum, flexibility, and a holistic approach to support the individual needs of our students."

Roselin says the vision for the school centers on academic programming that inspires "a love of learning, confidence and self-advocacy."

"Our goal is always to accommodate each and every child by dynamically adjusting our curriculum and teaching to engage all types of students in the learning process," he adds.

The schools a traditional academic calendar but allows students to jump into the programming at any point during the calendar year. Roselin notes that Pacific Preparatory enrolls a variety of learners, from those who are “gifted,” students with learning differences, those who are hospitalized, and others "who are between brick and mortar schools," as well as competitive dancers, actors, artists, and athletes.

The new school is the latest in Tutor Corps' ever-burgeoning roster of academic programs. Roselin launched Tutor Corps in 2001, expanding it to Mill Valley in 2008. Roselin's tutors work day-to-day out of their own homes and visit students in their own homes for tutoring sessions, an easier setup for many parents than driving kids to a location.

Roselin has also deepened his roots in the 94941, moving from San Francisco to Mill Valley with his family five years ago. Tutor Corps's 20 teachers in southern Marin now tutor more than 25 students in Mill Valley.

One of the outgrowths of those deeper roots has been the ability to leverage the Tutor Corps Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit, to support student scholarships, community service grants and awards for teachers. In recent months, the foundation has issued grants to support a "Humanity is Kindness" program run by four 6th grade girls at Mill Valley Middle School. The student's goal was to help as many of the homeless population in Marin as possible by operating clothing drives and food drives and, in turn, learning about social justice and how to effectively fundraise. 

Tutor Corps funded an 11th grade Tam High student's The LEAP Dance Program, which supports the Marin Performing Stars after school program in Marin City, Sausalito and San Rafael, allowing girls to create a performance that allowed their families "to see their children in a new light." The foundation also supported a Tam High eleventh grader's Music Together project, which promoted "inclusion, connection and acceptance between the special education students and greater student body through the camaraderie of making music."

"We are very focused on supporting the local education community," Roselin says. "We are Kiddo Business Partners, Schools Rule Silver Sponsors, and support the Tam High Foundation as well."

In addition to community service grants, Tutor Corps also regularly awards Teacher of the Year Awards as well as tutoring scholarships, providing one-on-one tutoring for the academic year, with one scholarship recently going to an eighth grader at Mill Valley Middle School. The Scholarship funds one-on-one tutoring for the academic year. 

The 411: Tutor Corps has launched Pacific Preparatory, a K-12, in-home private school. MORE INFO.

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​Is Mill Valley taking the threat of climate change-fueled wildfire seriously?

Hundreds of local residents took a positive step toward answering that question this month, turning out to the CineArts Sequoia theater in downtown Mill Valley for a screening of a documentary on the inferno that struck Concow, Paradise, Magalia and Chico in Butte County in November 2018. The "Camp Fire Documentary" was a two-fold fundraiser: to support Camp Fire victims, as well as the efforts of FIRESafe Marin, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing wildland fire hazards and improving fire-safety awareness in Marin, in this case specifically in the form of a goat grazing program to reduce fire fuel.

The event, hosted by FIRESafeMarin and Mill Valley Fire Dept., with support from the Rotary Club of Mill Valley and several individual donors and sponsors, featured a screening of the 50-minute film from Golden Eagle Films that chronicles a small part of the story one county experienced during its darkest day. Butte County filmmaker Nancy Hamilton's film is first-person account that draws on cell phone footage from more than three dozen individuals and first responders that encountered the fire.

​"With this event, we both invested in our community's efforts to reduce wildfire hazards in Marin County through FIRESafe Marin and supported the organizations that are supporting Camp Fire survivors," Mill Valley Fire Department Chief Tom Welch says.

The screening was followed by a panel discussion including Welch and Mill Valley Mayor Jim Wickham, as well as the Camp Fire's Deputy Incident Commander; Camp Fire survivors, as well as Stephen Murray, a 31-year resident of Paradise and a father of two young children who single-handedly rescued more than 60 senior citizens from a burning mobile home community during the fire.

The 411: FIRESafe Marin, Mill Valley Fire Dept., with support from the Rotary Club of Mill Valley, hosted a screening of the Camp Fire Documentary on May 14 at the CineArts Sequoia theater in Mill Valley. It raised $20,000 to support survivors of the Camp Fire, and to support FIRESafe Marin's fledgling goat grazing program to reduce wildfire hazards in Marin. MORE INFO.

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Even for those who generally avoid news reports about recycling, the subject has been nearly impossible to ignore lately.

Now it's time for the Mill Valley City Council to decide if they're willing to have residents and businesses make a change in how they organize their recycling to address what has become a global dilemma, as  Mill Valley Refuse Service proposes shifting to so-called "dual-stream" recycling at a hearing on May 20.

The saga began in January 2018, when China, long the world's dumping ground for recycling, enacted its “National Sword” policy, banning the import of most plastics and other materials headed for its recycling processors, which had handled nearly half of the world’s recyclable waste for the past quarter century. The move was an effort to halt a deluge of soiled and contaminated materials that was overwhelming Chinese processing facilities and leaving the country with yet another environmental problem — and this one not of its own making.

In the 16 months since that move, which essentially shut down what had been the industry’s biggest market, China’s plastics imports have plummeted by 99 percent, leading to a major global shift in where and how materials tossed in the recycling bin are being processed. That seismic shift has left waste management companies throughout the United States and beyond search for ways to dispose of all that recycling, with some ending up in landfills, incinerators, or likely littering the environment as rising costs to haul away recyclable materials increasingly render the practice unprofitable.

The end result has been skyrocketing costs. According to Mill Valley Refuse Service officials, the primary waste hauler for Southern Marin, the company saw recycling revenue shrink to zero in April 2017, and saw its per-ton fees to dispose of it elsewhere go from $4 two years ago to $59 to $72 to $83 today.

"Our efforts to find a better deal at various processing plants in the Bay Area failed," says MVRS Principal Jim Iavarone. "Some plants closed their doors, while others refused to take on new customers. MVRS now dumps its single-stream recycling material at a transfer point at the Redwood Landfill in Novato, where it is loaded into semi-trucks and sent to a processing plant in San Jose."

The company has identified disposing its recycled materials at Marin Sanitary Service in San Rafael, but that facility primarily processes dual-stream material, with paper put into one cart and all other recyclables into a separate cart. To test the willingness of customers to adapt to a dual-stream system, MVRS conducted a pilot project from September 2018 to December 2018. It released the results of that project in this report.

While MVRS can't force jurisdictions to shift to dual-stream recycling, it hopes the move will be unanimous. "It’s really hard to imagine not making it unanimous one way or the other," Iavarone told the Marin IJ. We have too many routes that cross jurisdictional lines. A route in Mill Valley also goes into Homestead and Almonte at times, and routes in Tiburon cross into Belvedere.”

If all eight jurisdictions the company services agree to switch, customers will be given second recycling bins. One bin will hold paper and cardboard, and the other will hold all other recyclables. The bins will be picked up curbside in alternating weeks.

The 411: The Mill Valley City Council considers a proposal to switch to dual-stream recycling. MORE INFO & STAFF REPORT. WATCH THE HEARING ONLINE HERE.

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The Enjoy Mill Valley Guide is all grown up.

The Guide, which has been hitting nearly 40,000 mailboxes within the June issue of Marin Magazine for the past five years, did so again this week. But the 2019-20 edition has more of everything – a larger format, more year-spanning content and, to be honest, even more inspiration for you to eat, drink, gather and have fun in Mill Valley.

First up, look at that gorgeous cover by Mill Valley resident Spence Snyder!

The theme of this EMV Guide is sustainability across myriad parts of our community. You’ll find a ton of great content inside, from our feature on MV Mayor and lifelong local resident Jim Wickham (pg. 6) & our sustainability-minded Must Haves (pg. 12) to our year-spanning events calendar (pg. 20) and a spotlight on the favorite recipes from some great  local chefs and restaurateurs (pg. 27). There are also sustainability tips from Ambatalia’s Molly de Vries & a spotlight on artists using recycled materials (pg. 36), photos of fantastic local shop dogs and disaster preparedness tips from Fire Chief Tom Welch (pg. 38).
​
Thanks to the indefatigable Susan Lopes for spearheading this project, to The Image Flow for the fantastic photos and all of the sponsors and advertisers who helped us bring this Guide to fruition. Lastly, tell us what you think of this Guide at info@millvalley.org. Now go out and do fun things in Mill Valley!  –Jim Welte

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From the outsider’s view, Hunter Cressman’s life was flourishing.

After idyllic years at Park School, Mill Valley Middle and Tam High, the Mill Valley native garnered a degree in mechanical engineering from Loyola Marymount University and impulsively took a “leap into the unknown” and moved to New York City. He landed a job at David Yurman Jewelry Co., the nearly 40-year-old designer jewelry firm that spawned from its founders’ artistic pursuits in sculpting and painting.

Cressman did quite well, working with Yurman’s design team and managing product lines, determining the manufacturability of new designs and mechanizing the assembly process. But while his professional accomplishments grew, Cressman says he knew all was not as well as it seemed.

“On the outside, I was doing pretty well, but on the inside I was feeling totally all over the place and out of sorts, and it had been that way since college,” he says. “There was this internal stress that was eating me from the inside out, and I leaned on alcohol and cigarettes. I realized, ‘this is not going in the right direction. I needed to course correct.”

That course correction was spurred by the first friend Cressman made in New York City, a Vedic meditation teacher who espoused the benefits of finding ways to slow down.

“He was just a regular guy and not some monk,” he says. “That helped me see the benefits with an open mind and think, ‘maybe I have a chance to realize this for myself.’”

​With a bit a of lingering skepticism but a strong desire to calm his self-described “overly analytical engineering brain,” Cressman did a four-day course in Vedic meditation and learned the techniques. It worked quickly, he says, and his insomnia and depression subsided completely. He was practicing meditation twice a day.

“After a few weeks, I was sleeping like a baby and happy for no particular reason, walking down Broadway,” he says. “My mind was calm without all the chatter and distraction, with the chaos of New York around me. That really motivated me to keep it going – to be in that sort of peak mind flow state felt really good. And it got better the more I did it.”

That fevered enthusiasm for his personal meditation practice triggered a strong desire to share it with others, a quest that only grew over time. Five years ago, he moved to the Himalayas in India for a 12-week intensive training program under the guidance of world renowned master teachers. He began teaching Vedic meditation soon after through his The Modern Mind practice.

Cressman describes Vedic Meditation as different from other forms of meditation, which generally involve concentration (focusing the mind through effort) or contemplation (thinking about the meaning of something) – both of which keep the mind active. Instead, Vedic Meditation is an effortless technique that naturally and spontaneously de-excites the mind and body.

“You get to sit comfortably with your back supported, close the eyes, and silently use a specific sound (or personalized mantra) to settle into a state of deep physical and mental rest,” he says. “To anyone watching, it simply looks like resting.”

Cressman’s practice, working with individuals and consulting with startups seeking to incorporate well-being into their mission, flourished in New York and provided opportunities to regularly come back to the Bay Area for conferences and other events.

Earlier this year, he decided to come home.

“It’s been amazing to be back in Mill Valley,” he says.

​While Cressman continues to grow his practice, he also earned his two-year degree in the science of Vaastu design, which comes from the same body of knowledge in India as meditation, yoga and ayurvedic medicine but instead focuses on physical structures and “bringing about a specific energetic effect within a space,” he says.

Part of the program through the American University of Mayonic Science & Technology is virtual via reading and writing assignments, and the rest of hands-on, with trips to India to tour temples to see Vaastu design in practice and to “meet some of the families who are keeping that knowledge intact and alive.”

“It’s about knowing that you can follow these design principles and bring about an experience of upliftment and well being where you feel at peace and calm and happy from the architecture itself,” Cressman says. “It’s very exciting and I’ll be consulting on building projects locally and giving lectures as well.”

​The 411: Hunter Cressman's The Modern Mind specializes in Vedic meditation for both individuals, groups and organizations. MORE INFO.

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“Visit your local Farmers’ Market for squash blossoms which typically hit the stands later in the summer. You can also pick up fresh basil to make your basil pesto.” ​​–Felicia Ferguson, Piazza D'Angelo.

“Recommend serving with tortilla chips and or tostadas (also lettuce wraps). As a condiment, we recommend Tapatio hot sauce for the spicy lovers. Steamed white rice (this sounds wacky) yet in countries like Peru, this is a common way. Also make sure to add some of the agua chile to the rice to have the whole experience.” –Jose Miguel Smith, Parranga

​“To round out the meal, all that this light-yet-hearty meal would require is perhaps a simple hot vegetable side dish. A great one for Autumn would be sweet corn, cut off the cob, and sautéed with butter, salt and pepper. –Gordon Drysdale, Sweetwater Music Hall & Cafe

“This is a simple, fall-themed soup that is quick & easy, comforting, and perfect for any busy weeknight. I’d suggest serving with a simple salad and our FC focaccia for dipping into the soup. If you’d like a protein, roasted chicken or salmon would be great alongside. The soup also makes a good starter for a fall holiday meal (Thanksgiving). The soup is creamy and delicious, and just so happens to be vegan.” –Heather Hardcastle, Flour Craft Bakery

“This is a very simple if slightly stove-intensive dinner. I use a slightly spicy sausage, but the hot varieties work as well, and always the richest chicken stock available — sometimes adding bouillon to my homemade stock for the extra oomph it provides. The key is stirring, stirring, stirring the rice as you add the stock, taking care to incorporate each ladleful entirely into the rice before adding more. Taste often at the end. Adjust the seasoning as you like. The trick is not to use too much liquid as the rice will overcook.” –Peter Schumacher

“I started La Ginestra in Mill Valley with my husband, Sal, 55 years ago, on Mothers’ Day in 1964. Nearly every night that we are open, I have a late dinner in the restaurant with at least one of my three children (Tino, Lucia and Fabio) who help me run the restaurant.  My children and grandchildren are all grown now, so I chuckled when I was asked to create a dish for when I eat dinner at home, as I rarely eat at home these days. But, I still love to cook, and I especially like to cook for holidays and special occasions. When I first came to San Francisco from Italy in 1955, I was a cook in the kitchen of the French Consulate. The Consul General’s family always enjoyed soups during the cold months, and this is where I learned how to make a variety of delicious soups for dinner. Even now, at the start of every dinner party, I enjoy serving a small bowl of homemade soup. The soups vary based on the season, but for the winter, I love Carrot Ginger soup. At La Ginestra, we typically have a special soup of the day in the Fall and Winter that is very similar to this recipe.” –Maria Aversa, La Ginestra

“If you have eaten a high-fat diet in the past, the lemon juice here will be good for you because of its cleansing ability. The asparagus, which is warming, a natural diuretic, and benefits the kidneys, is also a healthful addition to your diet. This
recipe would go well with roast chicken and a light spring salad.” –Neka Pasquale Lac, Urban Remedy

“Often dishes that end up in a restaurant get cooked at home in some variation first. Early Spring is an excellent time to combine winter veggies with those just returning again to the Farmers Markets like asparagus and pea shoots. Be creative - pick up anything that speaks to you. It’s also a time to fire up the grill for a nice piece of fish. This is an easy variation of a Niçoise salad that Chef Kyle and I have been enjoying recently as we undertake the endless task of picking the absolute perfect Sancerre for this dish at Watershed.” –Ged Robertson, Watershed, Bootjack Wood Fired, Shoreline Coffee Shop

Let’s Gather
Two neighborhoods, two gathering places: Mill Valley Lumber Yard (129 Miller), a restored historic landmark in downtown & Good Earth Natural Foods (201 Flamingo), a newer organic centric Tam Valley hub. Both epitomize community and clean, healthy living. Outdoors or in, these are the places to be – to socialize and enjoy the beauty that’s everywhere in our town.

Psychological research in recent years has found that students’ doodling in class can actually benefit their attention, memory, and learning. For Mill Valley resident Spence Snyder, those doodles spawned a multi-faceted, medium-spanning career in the arts, and his gorgeous cover of this 2019 Enjoy Mill Valley Guide is the latest example of his talents.

Snyder grew up in Novato, and says he spent many a class doodling in the edges of his notebook in class at Pleasant Valley Elementary and San Marin High. But those doodles drew the attention of his classmates, and before long, he was creating puzzles and mazes for them and garnering lots of praise for his artwork.

“It’s always nice to get a little attention,” he says.

After high school, Snyder grappled with the stereotype of the starving artist and pursued graphic design and illustration at Academy of Art University and the University of San Francisco. He’s worked for more than a decade as a commercial illustrator and designer working with clients such as Yahoo!, Intuit and EA Games.

But while his work and his digital art are imbued with technology, it all comes back to the doodle.

Makes me think - interesting - something tactile about putting a pencil on a piece of paper - “There’s just something magical when you draw, of that line you’re creating following your hand as it moves,” he says.

Snyder’s cover image is rooted in his plein air painting. He lives on Shelter Ride, with its panoramic view that spans from the Richardson Bay bridge to Mt. Tam and beyond.

“I’ve painted that image a few times from a spot near my home around 5-6pm, and it’s just so dramatic with the fog rolling in and the light changing and it’s becoming very dark with the fog on one side and it’s still very sunny on the other."

Snyder painted that scene multiple times at various sizes and then created the digital image based on those paintings. “It’s a location where you feel like what’s in front of you is constantly moving and changing,” he says.

We’re thrilled to feature Snyder’s work on the cover, and recommend checking out his website at spencesnyder.com.

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Our environment is in crisis. Each of us can make a difference in small ways. We have a lot of power by changing habits and taking action and sharing with others those efforts to reduce waste.

1. Nature: Learn about the direct link between a healthy natural world and a healthy natural self. What you put in the earth or in the air, you put in your body.

2. Refuse / Trash: We’re fortunate that MV Refuse offers green cans to compost yard waste, food scraps etc. Do not use corn-based bio bags or compostable plastics or disposable to-go cups. Given the massive changes in the recycling industry spurred by China and others, we must learn to recycle right: empty and rinse all cans and bottles, jugs and tubs. Go to zerowastemarin.org to find out how to recycle a wide range of materials.

3. Single Use Disposables: Most single-use disposable containers cannot be recycled or composted. These “recyclable” items end up in the landfills even if they display the Recyclable Symbol on the item. Learn to bring your own container, plates or utensils to your favorite restaurant to fill up with your favorite to go food. The only real compostable items are paper without plasticized lining, paper straws, and wood utensils.

4. Grocery Shopping: Bring your own produce and bulk cloth bags and jars. Shop the bulk bin whenever possible at your local grocery stores. Ask your grocer to stock items that are packaged in little or no plastic.

5. Food Waste: Buy only what you need and eat what you have. Do an inventory of what you have before you shop to avoid food surplus that may lead to waste.

6. Home Energy: Switch to 100% renewable energy. Just go to mcecleanenergy.org and have your PG&E account number handy. For a few more dollars per month, be part of the solution.

7. Transportation: Walk, ride your bike, carpool or use public transit. Downsize a vehicle, or go electric. Limit car trips.​

8. Natural Cleaning Products: Having baking soda, vinegar, castile soap, salt, washing soda and essential oils on hand is everything you need to clean your house.

9. Clothing: Watch the movie “The True Cost” on Netflix on the scandal of fast fashion. A minimalist closet of items of quality are your best bet. Used clothing is abundant and the most sustainable option. Dry clothes on a laundry line to save money, energy and make your clothes last longer.

10. Unwanted Items: Put unwanted items at the end of your driveway with a “free” sign on them, or list on websites such as nextdoor.com and craigslist.org. These small efforts make a huge difference in reducing the demand for landfills.

MV native Molly de Vries owns of Ambatalia, a retail work space in the Mill Valley Lumber Yard aiming to facilitate a considered way of living that eliminates the unnecessary waste of single-use products. 129 Miller, Suite 401.

You know your name carries weight when its usage far exceeds the list of people who know you.

Mill Valley Mayor Jim Wickham, a fourth-generation, lifelong resident, has volumes of great stories about his life in the 94941. But few encapsulate his impact more than one from his years with the Mill Valley Police Department.

Wickham, who spent 37 years with MVPD, starting at 16 years old with the Police Explorer Program at Tam High, heard colleagues grousing in the 1990s about the number of people they’d pulled over for moving violations who dropped Wickham’s name in an attempt to get the ticket rescinded.

“They were saying that nearly everyone they pulled over said they knew me,” Wickham says with a laugh.

Wickham assumed there was some hyperbole in the gentle ribbing he was getting, until he pulled over a driver by City Hall for running a stop sign by Mill Valley Market.

“I walked up to the car and asked for license and registration, and could immediately see that he was really irritated and upset,” he says. “He looks right at me and says, ‘I know Jim Wickham and I’m going to get a hold of him about this.’ So I pointed to my name on my uniform and he says, ‘What? Oh, man, you’re Jim Wickham.’”

Wickham became mayor in April 2019 as part of the City Council’s traditional rotation among councilmembers, joining his father, former mayor George Wickham, who died in 2010. He sees his role as a natural continuation of what he’s done all his life: leading and spearheading events and programs that harken back to his days as a kid growing up in Mill Valley and reminding his fellow citizens of the power of community.

In his years working foot patrol downtown, Wickham frequently heard complaints from kids that there wasn’t much to do during spring break, so he helped spearhead a bus trip for middle school students down to Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Universal Studios in southern California.

Over the years, Wickham served on an alphabet soup of community organizations, from Mill Valley Soccer Club and Little League boards to Tam Boosters, Friends of Fields and the Tam 100 Centennial Committee.

But few of Wickham’s initiatives over the years can top his revival of the carnival over Memorial Day weekend. Inspired by his childhood memories of the Mill Valley carnival in the 1960s, Wickham was among those who spearheaded its return in 1996, both to raise money to improve the City’s sports fields and to bolster community spirit.

“(City Manager) Don Hunter looked at like me like I was crazy,” Wickham says. “But I told him that I would manage it and that it would be a great thing for the kids in town. He let me do it.”

The carnival bounced back and forth between the weekends of Memorial Day and Labor Day for many years, running from 1996 to 2004 before it went by the wayside. But in 2010, Wickham’s daughter Lauren, then in middle school, told her dad that she’d heard all these great stories about the carnival and asked him to bring it back.

“So many generations of kids have memories of it – it was a huge part of their lives and marked the beginning of summer,” he says. “It’s one of those thing makes Mill Valley what it is.”

And in true Wickham fashion, he brought the carnival back as a community benefit, making it a fundraiser for Kiddo!, the Mill Valley Community Schools Foundation that supports public school programming like the arts, physical education and technology.

“He just stepped up and created an income source,” Memorial Day Parade organizer Larry “the Hat” Lautzker said at the time. “The carnival is his way of raising energy and making a difference.”

“Jim’s always had the small town community spirit of Mill Valley at heart and supporting the carnivals and parades and those kind of events,” former Mill Valley Fire Chief Jeff Davidson says. “Those are the kinds of things that really life up the community, and he’s always done a great job of making sure those feelings remain alive in a town that’s grown up a little bit in recent years.”
Wickham was born in 1957 and grew up on Manor Drive with his parents and siblings Stephanie and George Jr., attending Park School and what was then Edna Maguire Middle School before heading to Tam, where he graduated in 1975. After he finished with the Explorer program in high school, Wickham was hooked on a career in law enforcement. Some were a bit surprised by that pursuit.

“He’s the one that drove around with the souped up Mustang, hot-rodding all around town,” longtime friend Chris Phibbs says. “And then he became the cop! There’s plenty of irony in that.”

Wickham worked dispatch and parking for MVPD before getting a degree in police science at the College of Marin. He was a foot patrol officer for two years before he entered the Police Academy in Eureka, and MVPD hired him full-time in 1980 when he graduated.

One of Wickham’s first assignments was the school resource officer at Tam High in the early 1980s, an easy transition since he’d been a student there only a few years earlier. Wickham had an office on campus and regularly worked with students across all of Mill Valley’s public schools.

“I enjoyed those years being directly involved with students and helping them work through issues,” he says.

Wickham moved on to doing investigations, and it was during that time that he met his eventual wife Suzie, who was four years behind him at Tam, with an assist from his then partner Craig Keener. The pair stopped by Wienerschnitzel, located on the corner of East Blithedale Ave. and Camino Alto at the time (where La Boulangerie plans to open later this year), for a hot dog. Suzie was working at the counter, and Keener decided to play matchmaker. “He calls her over and says, ‘what are you doing later – you want to go out with this guy?’” Wickham says.

“I almost choked on my hot dog,” he adds. “He set us up on a date, and I wasn’t that serious with my girlfriend at the time. Here we are, 36 years later.”
​
Wickham rose the ranks to corporal and sergeant and eventually captain, where he oversaw administrative services, parking enforcement and community services and helped launch Mill Valley’s resident sticker parking program (RSVP) program. Wickham retired in 2010, and now works as a senior public safety specialist for PG&E, where he regularly does training for first responders.

“I really had a passion for law enforcement and truly enjoyed living and working in the town where I grew up,” he says. “And now I love to be able to help lead this community as a member of the council.”

Phibbs got to know Wickham well when they served on the board of the MV Soccer Club, and says he was always amazed by how deeply involved he was in town.

“He’s one of those old Millbillies who realizes that you have to give back,” Phibbs says. “He goes above and beyond, and he always has. He really cares about this community, and he’s shown that time and time again.”

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By Tom Welch, Mill Valley Fire Chief

Emergency planning is about keeping you and your family safe, warm and fed after a disaster.
Your family members may not be in the same place when an emergency strikes, so plan now about how you will contact each other and what to do in different situations.

When discussing your plan, include your whole household & family, as well as any caregivers. Bring up the types of disasters that are likely to happen in Mill Valley. Discuss what you need to do in a wildfire, earthquake, flood, landslide or winter storm.


​Make the plan and rehearse it regularly.

If you have school-age children, familiarize yourself with the school emergency plan, and let your child know that they will be cared for until you or a family member/ friend can pick them up. Let them know who you have chosen as your
authorized adult for pick-up and advise the school.

Get Ready
In the event of a major disaster, plan on what you will need to eat, sleep, and survive on your own – with or without shelter - for at least 5-7 days. Assemble & store supplies in a secure location outside your home – a storage bin/garbage can may be used.
If a wildland fire threatens or if flooding is imminent, you may need to leave your home. This can happen quickly and each family member should be ready to go. Make a small bag or backpack NOW for each family member and leave in a closet near an exit door/under the bed.

Grab & Go Checklist – detailed at CityofMillValley.org/EPC

• Eating & Cooking – emergency food, paper/plastic ware, paper towels, can opener, cooking source and fuel, water purification, pet food, etc.
• Sanitation – portable toilet/bucket, toilet paper, hygiene supplies, garbage bags, shovel, diapers, etc.
• Tools – wrench, matches, rope, axe, duct tape, tarp, fire extinguisher, flashlights, etc.
• Health & Safety – water (min. 1 gallon a day per person/pet), tent & sleeping bags, extra clothing & shoes, first aid kit, dust masks, safety goggles, etc.
• Flashlights, radio, batteries
• List of important numbers
• Cash in small denominations
• Hygiene supplies
• Safety goggles, cotton gloves and dusk mask to protect against smoke/heat
• Extra clothing & shoes
• Items for infants, elderly, and children, pets, and special needs

First responders may ask you to move fast, so have a Grab & Go Checklist of important items that you can collect quickly. Leave this checklist at the top of each Evacuation Bag.

Priority items for your family may include:

• Wallet & cash
• Keys (including safety deposit key)
• Medications
• Eyeglasses/medical aids
• Cell phone & chargers
• Laptops, hard drives, etc.
• Important financial documents & passports
• Family jewelry/heirlooms and photos (on hard drive)
• Pets, pet leashes, and carriers

The City of Mill Valley’s Emergency Preparedness Commission offers a comprehensive Emergency Planning Brochure at CityofMillvally.org/epc.

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Glee, excitement and dancing occur regularly at the Community Center and Mill Valley Middle School, but rarely moreso than a fateful four-day stretch in late May, when the annual four-day Kiddo! Family Carnival takes over those grounds for a Memorial Day weekend celebration like no other.

The Carnival begins Friday, May 24 at 4pm and wraps up at 5 p.m. Monday, May 27. Sacramento-based California Carnival Company is serving up more than 15 rides, from the Berry-Go-Round and Tune Train for little ones to the Sizzler, Zipper, the Century Wheel and Typhoon – as well as the red Baron Berry-Go-Round and the Tune Train for younger children. 

After an eight-year hiatus, the Carnival was revived in 2012 as part of the 30th anniversary party for Kiddo. The event has become the centerpiece of Memorial Day weekend.

Advance discounted $25 tickets are available (check or cash only ) in the Kiddo! office at the Mill Valley School District from May 20-23 8:30am-3:30pm and Friday May 25 from 8:30am until 1pm. Advance tickets may be turned in at the Carnival for a ticket book or for a one day wrist band for unlimited rides. Tickets are $35 once the carnival begins, and books are $30. Food and games are extra. A part of the proceeds from ticket sales benefit Kiddo! and the programs it funds for Mill Valley’s K-8 public schools. Sales will also be held at the Mill Valley Community Center on Thursday, May 23 from 3pm-6pm, and Friday, May 24 from 2pm to 3:30pm.
 
Carnival hours will be Friday, May 24, 4 pm to 10 pm; Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26, noon to 10pm; and Monday, May 27, noon to 5pm.

On the fourth and final day of the Carnival after the conclusion of the annual Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade, the Community Celebration features food from a host of local vendors and, as in year's past, a Concert on the Green will keep attendees dancing throughout the afternoon on Friends Field via a collaboration from Kiddo!, Mill Valley Recreation, City of Mill Valley, Famous4 Productions, and ECO Compliance. The concert, set for 12-5pm, features veteran music project Operation Encore, Koolerator with special guest Barry Sless, and San Geronimo.

The 411: The Kiddo! Memorial Day Community Celebration runs from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. The four-day Carnival is Friday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. MORE INFO.
Kiddo is also seeking carnival volunteers to sell tickets, help in the parade, run the lost & found booth and sell adult beverages.

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Have you had your "OMG it's Mother's Day on Sunday" moment yet? For Mother's Day and all gifting holidays, it's something of a tradition for the folks at at Terrestra at 30 Miller Ave. to welcome a community of local regulars who save their shopping for the last day, because "I know I'll always find something here."

For all busy Marin shoppers with big hearts but little time to shop, Terrestra has compiled a list of gift selections in abundant stock to help last-minute shoppers.

"Ideally, choosing a gift for Mom should be a leisurely browse," says Terrestra owner Amy Satran. "That's not always possible in these busy times, but there's no reason it can't be efficient too."

While Satran doesn't recommend double-parking out front, a scan of this list followed by a quick stop into Terrestra can get you on your way in minutes, including free gift wrapping and a gift card. Here are this year's selections:

Terrestra's Last-Minute Mother's Day Gift Guide for Procrastinators

1.   Art vases by Richard Glass of Devon, UK - $150 - $300
2.   Leather wrap bracelet by Lizzy James, California - $69 - $119
3.   Miniature retro classic clocks by Tokyo Bay - $49.50
4.   The ever-popular colorful wallets by Mywalit - $26 - $184
5.   Home fragrances by Nest of New York - $16 - $125
6.   Plush felt eyeglass cases made in California - $37.50
7.   Earrings by local artist Doe Cross - $76 - $118
8.   Retro modern tea towel by Vikki W. of British Columbia - $19.50
9.   Bright European glass pitchers for entertaining - $59.75
10. A set of summery table napkins - $26 - $64
11. Silk scarves by Bay Area artist Kavita - $58 - $98
12. One-of-a-kind wood salad bowl by Marin's own John Cobb - $99 - $599
13. Colorful everyday glassware by iittala of Finland - $22 - $28 /pair
14. Wood desktop boxes handcrafted by Michael Mikutowski - $49 - $112
15. A fun and inspiring cookbook - $15 - $45
16. A special tea mug in her favorite color - $26.50

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