Annual Dia de los Muertos Event

Imagination Park - Mon, Nov. 1st from 5-7pm

The community is invited to join the 3rd Annual Dia De Los Muertos, 'Day of the Dead', celebration in San Anselmo & the Ross Valley.
 
Day of the Dead celebrations are based on the belief that the souls of loved ones who have passed come back to this world on these days.

PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY'S TRADITIONAL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR:

 
DATE: October 22nd - 31st
Stop by the altar 24/7 (DRIVEWAY AREA at Taco Jane’s Restaurant) and leave a photo of a loved one in any of the picture frames or leave an element (see below for more details).
 
More about the Altar: Day of the Dead altars are set with different elements. Altars make the souls (animals) feel welcomed and show them they have not been forgotten. Most altars would include some or all of these elements:
 
• MARIGOLDS: Represent the fugacity of life.
• SKULLS:  Represent the vitality of life and individual personality.
• CANDLES: Fire is to welcome the spirit and make it easier and guidance.
• INCENSE: Elevate prayers to God.
• SALT: A small plate with salt is set in the altar as a purifier element.
• WATER: A glass of water is set in the altar to calm the souls' thirst after their long journey.
• FRUIT: To delight the soul.
• SNACKS/FOOD: Help nourish the dead with their favorite foods they enjoyed. Skull & rose ~ signify life and death.
• PETALE: A woven carpet from palms in front of the altar to acknowledge or pray.
 
JOIN IN ON CELEBRATION DAY!
Date: Monday, November 1, 2021
Where: Imagination Park, San Anselmo
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Traditional Aztec dancers sponsored by Taco Janes & crafts to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos to a procession down the avenue and to the community altar.
 
#DDLMsananselmo - PLEASE SHARE THIS EVENT AND SPREAD THE WORD!

Online Form Created for COVID-19 Self-Tests

With over-the-counter COVID-19 self-tests becoming more widely available, Marin County Public Health has created an online form so results from those tests can be recorded along with all other tests conducted at laboratories.

Reporting of results from home-based tests will connect people who test positive for COVID-19 to supportive resources and will assist with contact tracing efforts to limit community spread. It will also provide additional information on COVID-19 activity in Marin.

Self-tests that show immediate results have been available at selected retail outlets and online since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization their use in late 2020. Self-tests add convenience for those who do not live close to a facility that handles COVID-19 testing, have mobility or transportation issues, or need results immediately.

“We want to remove any barriers to testing in our community, and increased access to self-tests is a great step forward,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer. “At the same time, we need to see what’s happening in the community to guide our ongoing response. We rely on residents to report home testing results to see where cases are arising, and to make sure those who are infected have the supports they need.”

Laboratories that process COVID-19 test results are required to report results to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Marin County Public Health (MCPH). Test results have been compiled ever since COVID-19 tests became available in March 2020 and have been critical to localized surveillance figures. However, since self-tests provide a result without the use of a laboratory, those results are not reported to CDPH and MCPH, creating a void in critical community COVID-19 data.

The brief online form collects information about the test result, reason for the test, the date, the brand, basic demographic factors, and contact information. Public Health has privacy and security measures in place to safeguard personally identifiable information.
Self-testing kits require the user to take a sample from the nose, cheek, or saliva and provide immediate results. The method provides results within minutes, which is why the self-tests are sometimes called rapid tests.

Willis provided an overview COVID-19 tests in a Marin County Public Health video. Learn more about testing basics on Public Health website or the FDA’s website.

Wildfire Watch TV

Record drought. Unpredictable winds. Climate change. All are making wildfires more intense and driving the busiest wildfire season ever. All Marin residents need to be prepared! Wildfire Watch - a new show about wildfire activity and how to keep safe - will address your concerns, answer your questions, and give you the information you need to protect your family and your home. Episodes are released the second Thursday of the month. Watch on Comcast Cable Channel 26, 30 (AT&T Ch 99) and online at www.cmcmtv.com or stream at your convenience on Fire Safe Marin’s website, Facebook page or YouTube channel. 

Right Plant, Right Place - Plan Your Garden

Plant spacing, size control and maintenance are more important than type of plant. There are no fire-resistant plants, since all plants can burn. Rather than focus on individual plant species, consider growth habits and plant characteristics.
 
In general, avoid plants and trees that:

• Produce excessive dead, dry, or fine debris that can become fuel for fire
• Tend to build up dead thatch inside or under a green surface layer
• Shed large quantities of needles, leaves, fronds, dry bark, and other debris
• Choose drought tolerant flowers, low-growing non-woody shrubs and deep-rooted trees with thick bark, leaves over needles. 

Age Friendly San Anselmo Post Pandemic Opening Survey

Age Friendly San Anselmo wants to hear from you and how the pandemic may have changed your priorities or concerns as it relates to aging in San Anselmo.

Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/agefriendlysananselmo to take our short 4 question survey or e-mail Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org with any questions.

Home Sustainability Webinar Series – Fall 2021 

 The Marin County Sustainability Team is hosting a series of webinars starting on September 18 designed to take residents through the start-to-finish process of making their homes more comfortable, energy efficient, resilient, and carbon-neutral. Residents are encouraged to attend all the sessions but are welcome to tune into the topics that are of most interest. Each topic will feature industry professionals and experts, and attendees will be able to ask questions.  
 
Webinar Dates and Registration Links:  

• Electric Vehicles: October 23 @ 10am, October 27 @ 6pm.