This just in, courtesy of Greg Reisinger, Petaluma Tomorrow and Joan Cooper, Save Shollenberger Park: Get yer YARD SIGNS TO PROTECT SHOLLENBERGER PARK at the Save Shollenberger Park office, Western at Keller St. Signs say:

Shollenberger light can be so dramatic when rain is transitioning to sun, when the light is fading, when a rainbow comes up, like NOW when swans are nesting. But Shollenberger Park could not be so very YUMMY WITH AN ASPHALT PLANT wafting billows of blue fumes across the River!!!

Luscious in Spring light - Shollenberger Park and migratory bird preserve, Petaluma's most treasured and most oft walked, and now Steamer Landing right downtown, the latter showing off its stuff at last weekend's River Heritage Museum Open House - this peninsula park is becoming popular... Even when the wind brings sneezes and a runny nose (always seems to during grass pollen season - a long season!) ADD TO THIS ASPHALT FUMES? Why can't Dutra find another location?

Got to preserve these preserves so we can keep on with the good stuff. You probably know by now, but Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted against Petaluma's Council in favor of Dutra Group to build an asphalt plant directly across the Petaluma River from Shollenberger. And this would be built on our southern gateway, 101 South. 70' smokestacks are real turn ons for vacationers, yes? Lovely view, don't cha think?

Makes no sense to me. Petaluma City Council voted unanimously against the application - so why didn't Sonoma Country Supervisors listen?

At Steamer Landing yesterday, the wind came up fast and I got a WIND COLD, sneezes and runny nose lasting, with luck, a few hours. How much worse would it be if we added asphalt fumes at Shollenberger? Believe we'd hit the over-the-top-bad air meter. Let's not go there, OK? Let's not let Shollenberger be at risk! All those lovely and some rare birds.


The wind was high as I'm sure the pollen count was - loads of tiny wild flowers following the rains that are just about to go away, leaving us with gold then brownish dust. Best to clock a lot of hours walking in the green now. I "caught a cold" - reacting to what the wind blew up - wonder how much worse this air would be if we inject asphalt fumes by Shollenberger? Sorry, Dutra

Shollenberger Wednesday was about perfect. Dramatic rainy day light without more than a few drops touching the heads of my walking women friends, walking for the most part briskly, talking the whole way. LARGE swan, obviously nesting fairly near the entrance, the same swan I saw on the path last week I bet. Huge head, more orange on the neck than usual. A rare type? Look forward to her goslings in awhile. Redwinged Blackbirds sing back to you if you're peaceful and can whistle. Several swan nests at the far end of the trail. Haven't seen the River Otter for over a year - is there a pair?

Steamer Landing is protected for now - but what would Shollenberger be like if Dutra Asphalt gets its way and we look across the River to a 70' smoke stack? Dutra's history is that of a polluter and erecting buildings without a permit in San Rafael and their southern California "hi-tech" plant reportedly doesn't follow rules, either, allowing trucks off the site without tarps, spewing smelly, toxic blue plumes out of the plant. Am told the San Rafael plant operated 24/7 though they claimed that was "just temporary."

Great draw for birders from across the country and around the world, would you say? Toxic fumes, loud grinding noises and a whole lot of birds dying off or leaving the area - one of 4 major bird sanctuaries in all of Northern California - across from our Gateway on 101 South. Ugly, polluting nuisance to walkers if not detrimental to those with asthma (which I have now). Just wrong, guys! Amazing to me our Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted directly against the wishes of the people of Petaluma and our own City Council to allow this project to happen.

We know that Petaluma is dependent on industry along its River to engage the US Army Corps of Engineers in ongoing dredging of the area - but this is just about the worst place possible for an asphalt plant! Peaceful Spring day to you, too.