By Petaluma Voice

Here at the Petaluma Voice, we honor the entire history of Petaluma: its chicken and egg roots, the industrial ghosts of the Petaluma River, the indigenous ancestors going back thousands of years in this coastal valley surrounded by scenic, rolling hills. One way we do that is by sharing little slices of daily life, the information woven into the fabric of our special community.

At the risk of exposing the age of our veteran staff, some of us loved reading Herb Caen’s three-dot column in the San Francisco Chronicle back in the day. We admired Caen's witty and down-to-earth odes to the happenings, gossip, news, and color of the city he so loved.

Caen made us laugh, even when he dissed Chico – the university town where one of our editors was learning to write as a lad – alleging it was a place where Velveeta cheese was found in the gourmet aisle. He also inspired us. Now, decades later, Petaluma Voice has a chance to resurrect a three-dot column of our own ... and here we go.

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If pools are any indication, development is going swimmingly at Scott Ranch, where homes are under construction adjacent to Helen Putnam Regional Park. The Petaluma City Council on Monday, Aug. 3, reversed a ban on pools and hot tubs at Scott Ranch. Why was there a ban in the first place? Mayor Kevin McDonnell told Petaluma Voice reporter Jennifer Sawhney it was because the original terms of the development were drafted during historic drought conditions. The developer asked the city to reverse the ban, which isn’t in place elsewhere in P-Town, to avoid having to discount the selling price. The council voted 5-2 in favor, with Councilman John Shribbs one of the no votes. He said these are park-based homes in a natural habitat, and disallowing pools was part of the compromise for the project in the first place. A moratorium could be enacted by the city if drought or other water constraints return. – Tobias Young

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When I tossed some moldy lemons from my fruit bowl into the compost this week, I was stopped by the remarkable image on one: a perfectly smiling happy face. I took a picture and texted it to bass player Brett Brazil of the Happys, a local band who uses such images on their merch. “Feel free to use this as your next album cover,” I said. “Take it on tour with you.” Brett laughed, and said he’d share it with the band. In an attempt to turn moldy lemons into lemonade; and inspired by artists like Banksy and Maurizio Cattelan (who taped a banana to a wall and sold it for $6.2 million), I immediately put the lemon on eBay with a $50,000 minimum starting bid. Half the proceeds will go to support the Petaluma Voice! – TY

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Brewer Old Caz will open its doors to Petaluma in the Old Caz Backyard this weekend on Saturday, Aug. 8. Its new location, across East Washington Street from Grocery Outlet, is in the space formerly known as The Block. Beer lovers will be heading to check out the new digs, and one way to do that is a 7-mile bicycle procession (the cavalcade) from the Old Caz brewery in Rohnert Park to the new location ... not to worry, the Backyard promises to continue the tradition of food trucks and live music. – TY

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If you saw our story in this week's issue on a new statewide plan to expand marine aquaculture, you know that today, Aug. 5, is National Oyster Day. Both Hog Island Oyster Company and Bodega Bay Oyster Company are running specials — check 'em out soon if you're hankering for a half shell. – Nate Seltenrich

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... But did you know that Thursday, Aug. 6, is IPA Day? This year, several local breweries, bars, and restaurants are coming together for the first-ever Petaluma IPA Week, a cross-city collab celebrating Petaluma beer culture. Through August 9, visit participating locations – Lagunitas, HenHouse, Crooked Goat, Brewsters, Buffalo Billiards, Gale's Central Club, and The Hideaway — to sip brews, collect stamps, and earn a chance to win prizes. – NS

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A gyroplane crashed at the Petaluma Airport on Wednesday, July 26, at about 6:43 p.m., according to the Petaluma Fire Department. The Federal Aviation Administration’s preliminary incident report shows that the sole occupant suffered minor injuries after the hovering aircraft lost power and crashed, resulting in “substantial” damage. – Jennifer Sawhney

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Katherine Bobrowski, a Petaluman who was not afraid to speak up about wrongdoings that she thought deserved more attention, has died. The decades-long resident of Little Woods Mobile Villa (which has been central in the fight over mobile home parks in Petaluma) could often be seen around town walking to or from a bus stop, and would frequent Petaluma City Council meetings. If you didn’t know who she was before the meeting, you’d know after. She began her commentary by introducing herself followed by a description of an injustice she saw. It always ended with a call to action. At the Aug. 3 Petaluma City Council meeting, which convened in her honor, Mayor Kevin McDonnell said, “I want to thank Katherine tonight for giving us pause to reflect on the importance of community and how it is the bold efforts of each of us, no matter whom, that makes us a community." Her celebration of life is scheduled for Aug. 9 at 2 p.m. at Seventh Day Adventist, 2695 Petaluma Blvd. N. – JS