By Petaluma Voice

Hello, readers. We're excited to announce the debut of our news, information, and gossip column Talk of P-Town. It's inspired by the late San Francisco columnist Herb Caen and his famous "three-dot" columns, with a Petaluma twist. We hope it becomes a regular and treasured part of your weekly read.

In other news ... the Petaluma Voice reader survey will remain up through August 12. If you haven't completed it yet, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts. What have you enjoyed most? What would like to see more of? If you're not a paying member, what would encourage you to support our work? We'd love to hear from you.

This week's stories

Start with our inaugural Talk of P-Town, featuring items on Scott Ranch, Old Caz Backyard, IPA Day, a plane crash at the Petaluma Airport, and more.

There's another update on the North Bay Animal Services saga. The city is now investigating the former Petaluma animal shelter operator's connections with a recently discovered Humboldt County mass dog grave.

We've got the lowdown on who has pulled papers or filed to run for Petaluma City Council, the Petaluma City Schools Board of Education, and other local positions in the Nov. 3 election.

Today is National Oyster Day. A new plan to expand marine aquaculture up and down the California coast – including, potentially, in Tomales and Bodega bays – has support from local oyster farmers. But does it have any teeth?

Also on the food front, we've got an interview with Jupiter Foods founder and owner Dan Bleakney-Formby.

Did you read last week's first installment of the complete history of the Phoenix Theater by Santa Rosa Junior College student Jesse Saal, originally published in student newspaper The Oak Leaf? Start there, then read part two, out today.

For more Phoenix, see this week's Scene & Herd, with a photo from the well-attended, first-annual KPCA record swap held at the venue on Sunday, Aug. 2.

Finally, meet Bailey, a five-year-old Labrador and Shepherd mix now up for adoption at the Petaluma animal shelter.

In case you missed it: Get Out

Have you read Get Out, our monthly outdoors and nature column? It's all about interesting people doing interesting things outside. Last week, we featured Petaluma open-water swimming champion Morgan Filler and her efforts to encourage young swimmers to find their own passion for the sport – including an upcoming supported swim across the San Francisco Bay.

In June, we introduced you to the Shollenberger Park weed team, dedicated volunteers with the nonprofit Petaluma Wetlands Alliance who meet weekly to pull non-native weeds from the trails and wetlands of Petaluma's most popular park.

And in May, our subject was Monte Rio rower Cate Swan, who travels before dawn to Petaluma's North Bay Rowing Club multiple days a week to ply the world-class waters of the Petaluma River as the sun rises.