By Nate Seltenrich, Crissy Pascual, Jennifer Sawhney, Tobias Young

POLICE INVESTIGATION ONGOING – In early October, both candidates in the District 2 supervisor’s race issued a joint statement in response to the escalation of ongoing threats they say they’ve received during their campaigns … Joanna Paun, a Black woman who is a member of the Board of Education for Petaluma City Schools and a Sonoma County Office of Education employee, and Sylvia Lemus, a Mexican-American woman serving as Cotati’s mayor and a now-retired county employee, released the statement after Paun’s team “received a threat of violence following months of increasingly disturbing, racially motivated messages” … Her team contacted all law enforcement agencies within District 2 “out of concern for the safety of our supporters and community,” according to the statement. Reached by text Tuesday evening, Paun reported no updates since the statement was issued … Both candidates are vying for the south county seat currently held by David Rabbitt, who announced earlier this year he won’t run for reelection to a seat he’s held since 2011. Whoever wins will represent Petaluma, Cotati, parts of Rohnert Park, an area south of Sebastopol, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomfield, Penngrove, and Two Rock … The winner will be either the first Black woman or the first Latina — and the first person of color — to hold the District 2 seat. They will also be the first woman to hold the position since Helen Putnam’s death in 1984 ... Days after the candidates issued their statement, antisemitic material was found in east Petaluma, highlighting concerns of discriminatory and threatening behavior. The Petaluma Police Department is currently investigating the materials’ dissemination … Both candidates said they are committed to ensuring that everyone can participate in an election safely and without fear. “We recognize that people will have different opinions, support different candidates, and may strongly disagree during this Supervisors race," the statement read. "That is a normal and important part of our democratic process. However, intimidation, threats, racism, hate speech, or violence should never be part of that process.” – Jennifer Sawhney

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ON THE MOOOOVE – The Clo Cow Half-Marathon, 10K, and 5K brought 1,328 runners and their supporters to downtown Petaluma on Sunday, Oct. 11. All three courses head up Western Avenue toward Chapman Road and into the countryside, with the hilly half marathon cresting Middle Two Rock road before turning around and heading back to town … In case you’re wondering, there were 671 participants in the 5K (3.1 miles), 391 in the 10K (6.2 miles), and 266 in the half marathon (13.1 miles) … Petaluma runner Anthony Cortes, 32, won the half marathon in 1:15:18, the fourth-fastest time in race history. He was gunning for the course record, set at 1:14:00 in 2013. He already holds the record for the 10K, which he set in 2024, and for the 5K, which he set in 2025. Next year, Anthony! … Rodrigo Vargas, 31, of Forestville, won the 10K in 35:05 … And 16-year-old William Engh, of Cotati, won the 5K in 16:52 … Finally, your humble correspondent snagged a sixth-place finish in a fast half-marathon field, with a time of 1:25:38. See y’all at next year’s race. – Nate Seltenrich

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DARK SKIES OVER SHOLLENBERGER – The Petaluma Wetlands Association, Point Blue Conservation Science, and the City of Petaluma are working to make Shollenberger Park’s critical wetlands safer and healthier for wildlife by fighting light pollution … “Artificial nighttime light can disorient and endanger the hundreds of species that pass through or reside there,” said Cathleen Springer of the wetlands alliance … Street lights on Point Blue’s adjoining property have already been swapped out for new ones featuring energy-saving LED bulbs that emit a warm light instead of the bright-white light that mimics the sun. The new lights are also outfitted with motion-detection sensors for intermittent use and shields that prevent artificial light from spilling into the marsh … Next up, the city plans to retrofit its two lights in the Shollenberger parking lot. Then, in pursuit of Dark Sky certification, the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance will approach each commercial property owner bordering the refuge about doing the same … Stay tuned, as I’ll continue to follow this illuminating story. – NS

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THE MEANING OF LIFE – A new six-week course called “The Kabbalah of Meaning" explores the most fundamental questions we have as humans like “What is the meaning of life?” and “What is my purpose? … Rabbi Dovid Bush of the Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma invites you to discover the meaning and purpose of our lives through the lens of ancient Kabbalistic wisdom … “We all grapple with life’s big questions,” said Rabbi Bush. “This course explores these questions through the lens of Jewish mysticism. What I love about it is that it doesn’t ask us to escape our everyday lives to find meaning. It helps us discover the extraordinary purpose hidden within them. Whether you’re new to Jewish learning or have studied for years, I think you’ll find it fascinating, meaningful, and practically relevant.” … Classes begin on Oct. 27. – Crissy Pascual

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ARTISTS IN CHICKEN RESIDENCE – Two of Petaluma’s renowned artists, Sylvia Gonzalez and Marta Shannon, will host their annual Open Studio from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend, Oct. 17 and 18 … Sylvia became well-known for her colorful still-life pastels of fruit, while much of her recent work has evolved into stunning pastels of animals such as foxes, whales, bears, horses, and birds including quails and crows … These subjects appear against a rich background of imagery, text, and patterns, and are created using oil-based lithography and monotype techniques … Meanwhile, her neighbor in the 100-plus-year-old chicken coop – reimagined into art studios – is Marta, a master weaver and textile expert who is known for her scarves, shawls, ponchos, and throws … The quaint row of studios at 3820 Bodega Ave. is well worth a weekend visit, a rare pre-holiday glimpse into the working lives and museum-quality work of these two local artists. – Tobias Young

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WALK FOR POLIO – Three local Rotary clubs are participating in a 300-mile torch relay to raise awareness about ending polio that culminates in a community walk and celebration in Petaluma on World Polio Day, Saturday, Oct. 24 … The relay began in Crescent City near the Oregon border on Oct. 2 and proceeded south through Fort Bragg and Ukiah. The route continues through Napa and Windsor before reaching Rohnert Park and finally Petaluma … “For more than four decades, Rotary International has been at the forefront of the global effort to eradicate polio,” reads a press release about relay. “Although tremendous progress has been made, the polio virus is still circulating in the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan” … The community walk happens from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., with the closing ceremony following at 12:30 p.m., at the Miracle League Field at Lucchesi Park (320 N. McDowell Blvd.). – NS

Jennifer Sawhney is a reporter and co-founder of Petaluma Voice. She can be reached at jsawhney@petalumavoice.org.

Crissy Pascual is a photojournalist and co-founder of Petaluma Voice. She can be reached at photos@petalumavoice.org.

Nate Seltenrich is an editor and reporter at Petaluma Voice. He can be reached at nseltenrich@petalumavoice.org.

Tobias Young is an editor and reporter at Petaluma Voice. He can be reached at tyoung@petalumavoice.org.