By Sherman R. Frederick
It feels like jumping out of an airplane. Or, I guess I should say, like what I imagine it feels like jumping out of an airplane — scared and hopeful.
All my life in the news business consisted of reporting for duty at a physical office. But we learned during the COVID shutdown — all hail the Internet! — that we can efficiently produce a newspaper without a physical gathering spot. In fact, we’ve been doing that for some 15 months.
The Novato Advance, the San Rafael News Pointer, the Mill Valley Herald, the Ross Valley Reporter, the Twin Cities Times and the Sausalito Marinscope never missed a publication date during the pandemic. Woo to the hoo!
We think we learned something: We don’t need a physical office, or at least not the one the size of our current office in Downtown Novato. So, on June 30 we shuttered the office. We’ll still be here, of course. Our indigenous reporters and photographers remain on the job, bringing you our own brand of essential community news. Our delivery folk also are still out and about on Wednesdays refilling news racks and delivering newspapers to home subscribers.
We now have one centralized phone number. Should you need to reach us, phone or text at 415-408-1073. That number will get you any department at the newspaper. The publisher, which is moi, can be reached via email day and night at shermfrederick@gmail.com.
Our website remains MarinLocalNews.com. Our e-edition can be found at novatoadvance-ca.newsmemory.com.
We’ve been producing a Marin newspaper for almost 100 years. We’re shooting for another 100.
(Thanks in advance for your patience during the transition.)
CUSTOMER SERVICE
This was the line of death at my Marin bank last week. It might have just been a bad day, or a bad moment. Whatever it was, this is terrible customer service.
CARDS & LETTERS
Received this nice note from Carolyn G.
“I just want to say that the Advance, to which we have subscribed for decades, has never been better. Though slimmer, you are reporting on important issues, both local and national, current urgencies, and future dilemmas. Really a job well done. And your column with its mix of plain-speaking and whimsy is always my highlight. “I do wish that Steven Kalas was still writing for you. Perhaps he will again someday. But, if that can’t happen, tell him his readers miss him and wish him well. Thanks for keeping local newspapers alive.”
Another reader, Bill, made an astute observation. He pointed out that Marinscope was writing about the plight of homeless people forced to live outdoors in city parks. But Marin Magazine was doing a piece on the joys of creating space outdoors to live for the rich and famous. Nothing wrong with either story, of course. But, as Bill said, it illustrates the vast contrasts in Marin.
ONE MORE THING
— It’s hard to explain puns to kleptomaniacs because they always take things literally.
— Many of you may be confused about the procedures to follow in California post the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, FOAF (friend of a friend) has mercifully given us the clear, official coronavirus guidelines out of the governor’s office. Here you go:
1. Masks are useless. But they will protect you. They can save you, no they can’t. They’re useless, but wear one anyway. Now they’re mandatory. Maybe. Or maybe not.
2. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster. Stay calm.
3. You can get restaurant food delivered to the house, which may have been prepared by people who didn’t wear masks or gloves. But you have to leave your groceries outside for 3 hours to be decontaminated by the fresh air that also may have virus particles floating around in it. Or you can wipe your groceries with Lysol. But not the food because that will make you sick. No, it’s totally unnecessary to wipe the groceries. Even though the virus can stay on cardboard for 24 hours. Also, you can’t get the virus from eating food with contagions on it. But you can get it by putting it in your mouth. Wait. What?
— The bad news is I took the wrong pills this morning. The good news is I’m protected for the month from heartworm and fleas.
— When your replacement head arrives in the mail.
C’mon, who doesn’t like a headless cat picture? And with that, let’s call it a day. Thanks for your time this week. If you’re not reading a Marinscope newspaper, you’re missing something essential to life here. See page 3A to subscribe. Also, live by the hippie credo: Always be good to others but never shy away from questioning authority.
(Sherman Frederick is the editor and publisher of Marinscope Community Newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com, or by phone at 415-408-1073.)
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