The National Academy of Sciences Committee Reviewing the Drakes Estero Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the Atkins Peer Review Held a Public Session in Irvine Yesterday.  After quizzing Point Reyes National Seashore Superintendent Cicely Muldoon and Drakes Bay Oyster Company owner Kevin Lunny, the latest NAS review committee heard from the usual advocates. Links: Agenda and Comments submitted and Video of the Meeting. Closed meetings continue and they will be summarized here. George Clyde reports.

A Kayaker Discovers a Derelict Transbay Cable, and KWMR Investigates.  Local realtor Joe Soule came across the cable near Indian Beach that turns out to be part of the Marconi/RCA radio history.  PG&E's Brittany McKannay tells about the 82-year-old cable, which supplied power to the RCA radio receiving station from 1930 until 1981.  Link to Night of Nights at the historic RCA facility this Thursday evening.

Three Brief Stories Today:  Bad news for the proposed Tomales/Dillon Beach bus service to Petaluma, but good news on expanding Stagecoach service to help Bolinas students and riders get to Drake High and other over-the-hill locations (both according to Amy Van Doren, Marin Transit Director of Operations).  Also, the County's proposed project to update Marin County's 16 community plans will not initially focus on West Marin (according to Senior Planner Christine Gimmler). George Clyde reports.

This is George Clyde's unedited interview with Norman Solomon on July 3, 2012, which was the basis for the July 4 Independence Day edtition of the West Marin Report.

In a Reflective Interview after His Primary Loss by A Few Votes, Local Congressional Candidate Norman Solomon Talks about the Two-Year Campaign - Including Its Accomplishments in Advancing the Progressive Agenda.  For the Fourth of July, Solomon tells George Clyde about the challenges to America's democracy and invites all to his What's Next fundraiser and meet-up event in San Rafael Saturday afternoon - his 61st birthday. Hear the full unedited interview (22 minutes) on-line here.

Citizen Scientists Join Botanists to Survey and Collect Local Plant Species for California Academy of Sciences.  Jacoba Charles describes the Bioblitz in the Mount Tamalpais Watershed, which also helped celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Marin Municipal Water District.  As part of the three-year project, samples from the over 500 bioblitz observations will be compared with historic data and specimens at the Cal Academy herbarium collection.

A 126-Acre Pasture, an Essential Element of the Organic Moretti Dairy Near Tomales, Is Acquired for the Dairy's Use - Thanks to a Quick MALT Conservation Easement.  Dairy co-owner Monique Moretti says the leased pasture was about to be sold on the open market when MALT helped her, her husband Mike Moretti and the family buy it on a 20-day first right of refusal.  Marin Agricultural Land Trust Executive Director Robert Berner tells George Clyde that MALT used donor funds to save the dairy as there was no time to obtain grants.