Welcoming a new child to the family can be one of life’s happiest occasions.  But for some new parents, the period after the new baby comes home is unexpectedly more difficult. Some women may experience a mild case of “baby blues.” Others may struggle with longer lasting feelings of numbness, grief, exhaustion, anxiety or darkness that are difficult to manage. Perinatal mood disorders (from pregnancy to first-year postpartum) can make it difficult for new parents to take care of their baby or themselves. Left untreated, these conditions also put babies at risk for problems with learning ..read more

The state will provide another $18 million to help homeless people in Marin move from camps into housing. The announcement came just days before the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments in a case that might determine how much authority local governments have to shut down camps on public property and as the county approaches a funding cliff for recently housed homeless people. The state grants include $8.67 million to maintain temporary housing and help underwrite permanent housing for about 60 Latino service and agricultural workers near Bolinas; $5.99 million to resolve the largest muni ..read more

A San Rafael preservation group has launched a petition seeking the total rebuild a 1929 train depot as part of a multimillion relocation of the downtown San Rafael Transit Center. San Rafael Heritage members say although the depot at 930 Tamalpais Ave. does not qualify for any historic protections due to remodels over the years, it should be rebuilt as it was because of the history it represents. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, which owns the transit hub, is planning a partial reconstruction that reflects the historic nature of railroad era, including the use of a ..read more

San Rafael has approved temporary protections for renters in parts of the Canal neighborhood following a recent wave of evictions. Read the story ..read more

Tyler Graff, executive director of secondary education for the San Rafael City Schools district, has been selected superintendent of the Ross Valley School District. Graff, 42, is expected to assume the post July 1, pending approval by the Ross Valley board of trustees on May 29 and confirmation of his contract. His salary information was not made available prior to the vote. He has been in the San Rafael post for the past six years. “I’m excited about joining the amazing RVSD team,” Graff said Friday. If approved, he would replace superintendent Marci Trahan, who is retiring. “From my initial ..read more

The idea of recycling more than 1.5 million used children’s books to schools, families and students throughout Marin and beyond might sound exhausting, but not to Marilyn Nemzer. The Tiburon resident hasn’t missed a beat in 37 years of directing the effort. “Nobody can figure out why I did it,” she said this week at her expansive operation in Terra Linda. “I just had so much fun meeting all the teachers, parents and the students who were all so excited to get the books.” On June 1, Nemzer will step aside as executive director of the Book Exchange. The operation, until now the local arm of a gl ..read more

LARKSPUR Pay raise in works for city manager The City Council is poised to give the city manager a raise. City Manager Dan Schwarz would receive an additional $9,500 in total compensation in fiscal year 2024-25 and $9,800 in 2025-26. He would also receive a one-time increase during the current fiscal year of $12,688 to $22,500, depending on benefits. The adjustments are proposed to align with cost-of-living increases for managers and to award a 5% performance bonus, according to a staff report. Schwarz’s salary would rise to $261,379 on July 1 and to $269,220 in July 2025. Schwarz has been cit ..read more

A former San Rafael police officer is fighting to get his job back nearly a year after he was fired over alleged mistreatment of an arrestee. Brandon Nail is undergoing an appeals process to reverse the city’s decision to dismiss him. City officials said they stand by their decision. “The city is vigorously defending its employment decision at the arbitration and believes that termination was the appropriate decision in this matter,” San Rafael City Attorney Rob Epstein said. The arbitration process is facing a hurdle. Julio Jimenez Lopez, the San Rafael man who accused Nail and former officer ..read more

A scooter driver suffered major injuries in a crash on Wednesday in downtown San Rafael. Police were notified of the incident around 7:40 a.m. near the corner of Mission Avenue and B Street, San Rafael police Sgt. Scott Eberle reported. Responders arrived at the scene and found an injured man who fell off a scooter, he said. San Rafael Fire Department medics transported the victim to a local hospital. Eberle said that it appeared it was a solo crash, but officers are still investigating to confirm if another vehicle was involved. Mission Avenue from C to Court streets, and B Street from Missio ..read more

Bay Area gas prices are surging yet again, causing consternation for commuters who already pay more than the inflated state average. Regional gas prices are as much as 20 to 30 cents per gallon higher than the state average and at least $2 per gallon more than the rest of the nation, according to the latest data from the American Automobile Association. The national average on Tuesday was $3.67 a gallon, compared to $5.42 in California — the highest in the U.S., according to AAA. A month ago, the state average was $4.98. A year ago, the average was $4.89. In Marin County, the average gas price ..read more