May 27, 2022

A LOOK BACK IN HISTORY: May is Asian/Pacific American & Jewish American Heritage Month 

In 1936, Wu arrived in San Francisco, with some financial assistance from an uncle. She enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley where she completed her Ph.D. in 1940. She married Luke Yuan, a fellow physicist, in 1942. 

Unable to find a research position at a university, Wu became a physics instructor at Princeton University and at Smith College. In 1944, she joined the Manhattan Project at the Substitute Alloy Materials (SAM) Lab at Columbia University, focusing on radiation detectors. When the B Reactor at Hanford mysteriously shut down soon after it began operating, Wu helped identify poisoning by xenon-135 as the culprit. 

After the war, Wu was offered a position at Columbia and began investigating beta decay, which occurs when the nucleus of one element changes into another element. She made several significant contributions, including making the first confirmation of Enrico Fermi's theory of beta decay. 

In 1956, she was approached by theoretical physicists Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang who knew about her expertise in beta decay. They asked her to devise an experiment to prove their theory that the law of conservation of parity did not hold true during beta decay. The law of parity states that all objects and their mirror images behave the same way, but with the left hand and right hand reversed. Wu's experiments, which utilized radioactive cobalt at near absolute zero temperatures, proved that identical nuclear particles do not always act alike. This resulted in Lee and Yang receiving the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics for their theory, but Wu's work was not acknowledged.

Wu continued making significant contributions throughout her life and won several awards and honors. In 1958, her research helped answer important biological questions about blood and sickle cell anemia. She was also the first woman to serve as president of the American Physical Society. Her awards include the National Medal of Science, the Comstock Prize, and the first honorary doctorate awarded to a woman at Princeton University. She also won the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978. Her book Beta Decay, published in 1965, is still a standard reference for nuclear physicists. 

The majority of the world has heard of the name Albert Einstein. Whether it’s related to math, science, or just history, Einstein contributed to a lot of what we know about the world today. For those who want to refresh their memories, here’s a brief biography on this contributor to history. 

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany. Einstein grew up in a secular Jewish family. Einstein's youth was marked by deep inquisitiveness and inquiry. 

Towards the end of the 1880s, Max Talmud, a Polish medical student who sometimes dined with the Einstein family, became an informal tutor to young Einstein. Talmud had introduced his pupil to a children’s science text that inspired Einstein to dream about the nature of light. As a teen, Einstein write what would be seen as his first major paper, "The Investigation of the State of Aether in Magnetic Fields."

In 1905, Einstein had four papers published in the Annalen der Physik, one of the best-known physics journals of the era. Two focused on the photoelectric effect and Brownian motion. The two others, which outlined E=MC2 and the special theory of relativity, were defining for Einstein’s career and the course of the study of physics.

In 1921, Einstein won the Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. In the development of his general theory, Einstein had held onto the belief that the universe was a fixed, static entity, a "cosmological constant," though his later theories directly contradicted this idea and asserted that the universe could be in a state of flux. 

As a physicist, Einstein had many discoveries, but he is perhaps best known for his theory of relativity and the equation E=MC^2, which foreshadowed the development of atomic power and the atomic bomb. E=MC^2, the energy of a body (E) is equal to the mass (M) of that body times the speed of light squared (C^2). This equation suggested that tiny particles of matter could be converted into huge amounts of energy, a discovery that heralded atomic power. 

In 1933, Einstein took on a position at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey. At the time the Nazis, led by Adolf Hitler, were gaining prominence with violent propaganda and vitriol in an impoverished post-World War I Germany. 

In 1935, Einstein was granted permanent residency in his adopted country and became an American citizen five years later. During World War II, he worked on Navy-based weapons systems and made big monetary donations to the military by auctioning off manuscripts worth millions. 

1939, Einstein and fellow physicist Leo Szilard wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to alert him of the possibility of a Nazi bomb and to galvanize the United States to create its own nuclear weapons. The U.S. would eventually initiate the Manhattan Project, though Einstein would not take a direct part in its implementation due to his pacifist and socialist affiliations.

After learning of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, Einstein became a major player in efforts to curtail usage of the atomic bomb. The following year he and Szilard founded the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists. 

After World War II, Einstein continued to work on his unified field theory and key aspects of his general theory of relativity, including time travel, wormholes, black holes, and the origins of the universe. 

Einstein died on April 18, 1955, at age 76 at the University Medical Center at Princeton. The previous day, while working on a speech to honor Israel's seventh anniversary, Einstein suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm. 

In 1999, Canadian scientists who were studying Einstein’s brain found that his inferior parietal lobe, the area that processes spatial relationships, 3D-visualization and mathematical thought, was 15 percent wider than in people who possess normal intelligence. According to The New York Times, the researchers believe it may help explain why Einstein was so intelligent.

In the decades following his death, Einstein’s reputation and stature in the world of physics only grew, as physicists began to unravel the mystery of the so-called “strong force” (the missing piece of his unified field theory) and space satellites further verified the principles of his cosmology.

To learn more about Albert Einstein and his contributions to our history, please click here. To read more about Jewish American Heritage Month, click here. 

Town Hall Office Closure - Memorial Day- May 30, 2022

Town offices will be closed on Monday, May 30th, 2022 in observance of Memorial Day. We will re-open on Tuesday, May 31st, 2022 during our regular business hours. We wish all our community members, friends and families, a safe and enjoyable extended weekend.

More on Memorial Day:  Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.

In remembrance of all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and all who are serving today- we honor and thank you!

Honor the Fallen on Memorial Day- County of Marin

On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 9:00 am, the Marin County United Veterans Council, supported by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, will honor all the fallen American servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty.  There will be a special emphasis on Marin’s own heroes. Names of local military members who gave their lives on duty are etched into the statues along Avenue of the Flags on the Marin County Civic Center campus. All who wish to observe are welcome to attend.

The Avenue of the Flags ceremony will be hosted by U.S. Army veteran Glenn Ross, President of the United Veterans Council who served during the Persian Gulf War. The event will feature a decorated local combat veteran as a guest speaker (who prefers to remain anonymous prior to the event), patriotic songs played by the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District Non-Marching Band, and the singing voice of Alicia Elkins. The Veterans Council will have color guard and flag raisers, and local elected officials and veterans group representatives will be recognized. After ceremonial wreaths are laid at the foot of statues, “Taps” will be played to conclude the ceremony.

Coffee and doughnuts will be served at 9 am and the ceremony will begin at 9:30 am in front of the military monuments on Avenue of the Flags, adjacent to the Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium parking lot. There will be first-come-first-served seating on folding chairs.

Marin County has approximately 11,000 military veterans, with service records ranging from World War II to the current conflicts around the globe. Learn more about Marin County’s Veterans Services online. The office, located at 10 North San Pedro Road in San Rafael, is led by Sean Stephens, a U.S. Army veteran who served four combat tours in Afghanistan after joining the Army at the oldest age possible, 38. The Veterans Services Office is overseen by the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services.

To read the County's press release for complete details, please click here. 

Lark Drive-In "Movies Under the Stars" Returns May 27, 2022

• There is no Box Office on-site. All tickets are sold online.

• Gates open one hour prior to showtime.
• Cars must be in place by showtime.

Marin Microbusiness $2,500 Grant Program

The Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant (MBCRG) Program is State funded through the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). In partnership, the County of Marin, the Marin SBDC and Dominican University of California will carry out this program to fund 105 microbusinesses at $2500 each. 

The applications opened on Monday, May 23, 2022, and will remain open until funds are used up. The first round of applications (from May 23 – June 30, 2022) will be reviewed in July 2022, and the first batch of awards given out soon after.

If there are more than 105 applications, awardees will be chosen through a lottery system. This is not a first come, first serve application process.

Grant Eligibility:   You can qualify to apply if you meet these criteria:

• Located in Marin County
• Been in business since December 2019
• Made less than $50,000 gross revenue in 2019
• This business is your primary source of income
• Significantly Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Currently in business or plan to reopen
• Have less than 5 full-time equivalent employees
• Did not receive a CA Grant through Lendistry

Ember Stomp- Wildfire Prevention Festival - May 28, 2022

• Live music from 4 bands 
• Food trucks featuring Mexican, Moroccan/Mediterranean, Ukrainian food
• Goats 
• Games like bamboo bowling and green bin toss 
• Magic show and storyteller telling fire fables from around the world
• Fire-smart garden 
• Demo fire-resistant house 
• 45+ participating organizations 

Learn How to "Pier Fish" Marin County Parks- May 28, 2022 11am-1pm

Come join Marin County Park Rangers and spend the morning learning the basics of pier fishing. A limited number of poles will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. A valid California fishing license is required when fishing from the shore, not from the pier.

No pets (except service animals) are allowed at this park. Park entrance fee is waived for participants. Please dress in layers and wear sturdy shoes. Remember to bring a water bottle, sunscreen, a hat, and a fishing pole. Adverse weather may cancel. Check the calendar on the day of the event to see if it is canceled.

Registration is required. Save time on the day of the event by signing in now. For more information, contact Supervising Ranger Kevin.

Location:     Paradise Beach Park
Directions:   Meet at the fishing pier in Paradise Beach Park in Tiburon (3450 Paradise Dr).
From Hwy 101 in Mill Valley, take the exit for Tiburon Blvd (Hwy 131) east 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Trestle Glen Blvd, right onto Paradise Dr, and follow for 1.5 miles. The park is on the left.

Mariner Cove Sidewalk Replacement Project- Starts Early June 2022

The Town of Corte Madera is pleased to announce that the Mariner Cove Sidewalk Replacement Project was recently awarded to FJ &I Engineering, and construction is anticipated to begin the first week of June 2022, through August 2022. The work will include concrete repairs such as sidewalk, driveway, and curb/gutter, tree removals, pedestrian and traffic control, drop inlet reconstruction, and other related work. To view the complete Mariner Cove Sidewalk Replacement project plans, click here. 

The Mariner Cove Sidewalk Replacement project is the result of Strategy #4 of our Sidewalk Pilot Program, which offers grants to eligible property owners who would like assistance with their responsibility to maintain sidewalk areas and trees adjacent to their property in a safe condition. If you would like more information on the Sidewalk Pilot Program and its different strategies, please visit the following Town webpage:

https://www.townofcortemadera.org/977/Sidewalk-Pilot-Program

If you have further questions regarding this project, please contact Demetre Copeland with the Town's Public Works engineering team at (628) 253-1106 or dcopeland@tcmmail.org

Capital Improvement Projects on the Horizon:

• Creekside Ct
• Diamond Head Psge
• Ebbtide Psge
• El Camino Dr
• Endeavor Cv
• Endeavor Dr
• Estrada Ln
• Foremast Cv
• Granada Dr
• Key Largo Course
• Key Largo Cove
• Lanyard Cv
• Madera Del Presidio Dr
• Meadow Creek Dr
• Morning Star Crse
• Paloma Dr
• Parkview Cir
• Prince Royal Dr
• Seamast Psge
• Sonora Way
• Staghound Psge
• Tradewind Psge
• Vista Ct

• Click here to view the project plans
• Click here to view the project locations
• Click here to view the project specifications

Painted Bins Art Contest on Display at Town Center this Weekend

Painted Bins…  Keeping food waste from the landfill

Our children are our future. Come to Corte Madera Town Center this weekend to see how Neil Cummins Elementary School students use art to express how composting will help save our world.

The artwork was created as part of the Painted Bins art contest and will be displayed during the hours below in the space between Paper Source and Crate & Barrel at Corte Madera Town Center:

• Saturday 5/28:  11am-5pm
• Sunday 5/29:    12pm-5pm
• Monday 5/30:   11am-5pm

Painted Bins helps reduce food waste in public areas such as parks. The bins are food scrap receptacles with children’s artwork that tells a message about the benefits of composting. Painted Bins brings stakeholders together in the fight against food waste, helps cities lead by example, and closes the loop with the recycling of food waste, while keeping food waste out of the landfill and beautifying our parks. Watch for announcements about the Painted Bins launch late summer in Corte Madera Town Park, Corte Madera, CA. 
 

Painted Bins is a program of Sustainable Marin a 501(c) (3) charitable nonprofit providing fiscal sponsorship. 

Marin County DA Coordinates Gun Buyback Program - June 4, 2022

Community Conversation on Short-Term Rentals- June 8, 2022

Electric Vehicle Myths & Facts on Going EV

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• Myth #1: Electric vehicles are worse for the climate than gasoline cars because of the power plant emissions.
• Myth #2: Electric vehicles don’t have enough range to handle daily travel demands.
• Myth #3: Electric vehicles only come as sedans.
• Myth #4: There is nowhere to charge.
• Myth #5: Electric vehicles are worse for the climate than gasoline cars because of battery manufacturing.
• Myth #6: Electric vehicles are not as safe as comparable gasoline vehicles.

• Here are interactive maps provided by the US Department of Energy and a private firm showing charging stations across the country:
  • Department of Energy Map
  • PlugShare’s Map
• While most of California, and the West Coast in general, is well-covered, Corte Madera does have some work to do providing more publicly accessible charging stations, and those at multi-unit dwellings. A key goal of the Climate Action Committee is to promote installing charging stations.

Upcoming Area Electric Vehicle Events



 

Updates from Parks and Recreation

 

Upcoming (in-person) June Events:

• Wednesday, June 8- Big Band Dance, Community Center
• Sundays, June 12, 19 & 26- Summer Concerts, Menke Park
• Friday, June 17 & Saturday, June 18- Family Dances. More details soon.
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Big Band Dance,  June 8th 
The Ray Simpson Big Band Dances are back! Join us at the Community Center on the second Wednesday of the month. The Ray Simpson Band plays the music of the 30's, 40's, and 50's-from swing to jazz. Dances begin at 7:30 pm. Admission is $10 at the door and kids are free! Call our front desk at (415)927-5072 for more details. See you there!
 

 

 

Summer Concerts at Menke Park Return June 12
Sunday concerts are organized and sponsored by the Corte Madera Community Foundation.  Join us from 5-6:30pm at the Piccolo Pavilion, Menke Park. The full band lineup and details are available here.

 

 

Summer Activity Guide is HERE!  Register today for activities and programs through August and save the date for events and Sunday concerts at Menke Park. 
 

Age-Friendly Intergenerational Center

The mission of the Age-Friendly Intergenerational Center (AFIC) is to enrich the lives of people of all ages through quality programs incorporating intergenerational and multi-generational participation. A primary goal of such activities is to provide social opportunities for the older adult to prevent isolation and promote healthy aging.

AFIC Vision
Older Adults: Reduce isolation and promote healthy aging, by providing social, fitness and lifelong learning opportunities.
Children: Gain a better understanding of the aging process and create lasting values and new relationships through intergenerational activities. 

The AFIC features programs in art, games, yoga,  literature, and technology.  Visit their website to learn more.  You can click here to subscribe to their weekly newsletter (and you can view current and previous newsletters with upcoming class information here).  

News and Updates from the County of Marin. 

• For daily status updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the Health and Human Services Coronavirus page. 
• Spread the word: How your friends and family can receive these updates: Text "MARIN COVID" to 468311 to receive text message notifications or subscribe online to receive email notifications 

Upcoming Town Meetings & Agenda Item Info.

Useful Links