Novato Pages From The Past: Mrs. Henry Pini hurt in crash

Mike Read/Pages From The Past

100 Years Ago

November 1921

— At the Chamber of Commerce meeting last night several important things were brought up, among those being the placing of a town sign across Grant Avenue at the station, also at the intersection of the highway. A committee was appointed to look into this matter. The acceptance of two roads was also discussed, Simmons Lane and Virginia avenue but Supervisor Sweetser stated the county was unable to take care of more than one road at this time. A committee was also appointed to look into the grading of Grant Avenue beyond the Highway. 

— As evidence either of unbounded confidence in the prosperous outlook for Novato or a general Improvement in the money market, the $35,000 issue of Novato school district bonds on Tuesday was purchased by a San Francisco concern at a premium of $1016. The bonds were purchased by Mitchum, Tully & Company. The bid was for the bonds at par, with accrued interest and the above premium. Thirteen concerns submitted offers and eight of them naming a premium in excess of $1000. The bonds, 30 for $1000 and 1 for $500 draw 6 per cent and are to be retired within 20 years.

— Frank DeVoto, widely known resident of Novato, and Mrs. Oliver of Oakland were married in Oakland on October 25th. The couple will occupy the DeVoto residence on Orange Avenue on their return from the wedding trip. Mr. DeVoto has resided in Novato for many years where he has large property interests.

— The Marin Meat Market at Novato was entered at an early hour yesterday morning and the safe blown open. The would-be thieves did not get anything for their trouble, the owner of the shop having banked his money Saturday and took the rest home. Local officers were told to be on the lookout for the robbers.

75 Years Ago

November 1946

— Mrs. Henry Pini and Miss Bernadette DeSouza were injured in a three car-Greyhound bus collision yesterday morning about a mile north of Novato. Mrs. Mary Pini, 76, received a broken tibia and fibula bones in the right leg and Miss DeSouza was cut above the right eye when her glasses were broken in the impact.

— Death claimed Gervasio Trabucchi following a long illness. He was active in the fraternal life of Novato, having acted as secretary of Novato Grove, U.A.O.D., for many years. Thirty-nine years ago, Trabucchi and his wife located in Novato where they purchased a ranch in Indian Valley. All of their children were born there. He was for many years manager of the Henry Hess Lumber yard and following his resignation he opened a sash and door factory on Grant Avenue.

— The Novato fire department has received its new Diamond “T” 6-cylinder fire engine which is equipped with more than 500-feet of 2 ½ inch hose.

— At a dinner meeting at the Blue Rock Hotel last Saturday night, the Novato Lions Club received its charter and was launched as a full-fledged unit of the National organization. The charter was presented by District Deputy John Hoffman to Virgil Hill, president of the Novato club. “Nearly 200 persons attended the affair at which Leigh Shoemaker, Novato merchant, and a past president of the Petaluma Club, Novato’s sponsoring unit, was master of ceremonies. The Petaluma Club presented Novato with a bell and. The local club meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Eighteen North Bay clubs were represented at the dinner.

50 Years Ago

November 1971

— A Chamber committee is to meet further with city officials about using for Chamber headquarters a house on property the city has recently purchased. The property is located at Reichert Street and DeLong Avenue. The city has proposed that it remodel and renovate the structure while the Chamber would pay for the cost of the interior work and landscaping. Presumably the Chamber would use the premises rent free in lieu of the $8000 a year it receives from the city. The Chamber at present rents space at 1123 Grant Avenue. 

— A garland of ivy and flowers was snipped last Thursday in a formal dedication for the $8465 pedestrian bridge spanning Novato Creek between the county library and the Downtown Shopping Center. 

— It’s hard to believe, but it’s true that the city council will hold a special meeting next Tuesday night to select a city seal design—and may actually do it. The field of three entries is still the same and the council will make a choice of one from among those submitted by Carl Rangell, Barbara Murphy and Betty Beebe. The chosen seal will adorn city vehicles and stationery.

— The new Straw Hat Pizza Parlor at 7087 Redwood Highway, Novato, celebrated its grand opening Friday by hosting a pizza party for the undefeated San Jose Junior High School football team. The football team, cheer leaders, coaches Jack Bingham and Dick Lee, and well-wishers ate pizzas and drank soda. 

25 Years Ago

November 1996

— Novato’s new mayor wants the Novato City Council to keep walking the walk. “I want next year to be like this year,” said Pat Eklund shortly after taking the gavel from Ernie Gray Tuesday night. “We got things done this year and I want to get things done next year.” Eklund was chosen in a unanimous vote by her fellow councilmembers in their annual reorganizational meeting. Carole Dillon-Knutson was selected Mayor Pro Tem, marking the first time in Novato’s 30-year history that two women have ever held the top two posts on the council.

— As Col. Palmer Wilkins of Novato gave the benediction, heads bowed and hands that once held rifles covered their hearts. Most of the estimated 1,500 people who showed up for the Marin County Veterans Council’s annual Veterans Day observance, held at the Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium Marin Center in San Rafael, fought in World War II or the Korean War. Despite the fact the Moving Wall, a tribute to the men and women who died in Vietnam, was in Novato a mere eight days before the Veterans Day service, only a handful of Vietnam veterans attended Monday’s observance.

— The North Bay Children’s Center and the Novato Youth Center are among several Marin child-care services receiving grants from the Marin Community Foundation. The North Bay Children’s Center received $67,500 for 25 months to support quality programming, parent support services for the center’s child-care and development program and a transition to increased capacity. The Novato Youth Center received $13,625 for 25 months for parent support services, analysis, strategic planning and a study on the feasibility of infant care.