In Your Town for July 3, 2024

NOVATO

Director hired for
special education

A veteran North Bay educator has been named director of special education at the Novato Unified School District.

Dawn Mawhinney, former special education director at Sonoma Valley Unified School District, began work at the Novato district on Monday. Her starting annual salary is $179,749.

Prior to her time at the Sonoma Valley district, Mawhinney worked for the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District from 1997 to 2021. She began as a social studies teacher, and her last position was principal of Technology High School. She has a master’s degree from Dominican University of California in San Rafael.

Mawhinney replaces Angela Williams, who accepted a position with the North Coast School of Education in Santa Rosa.

FAIRFAX

Police arrest 2 on
theft allegations

Two suspected thieves were arrested on Tuesday after traveling the wrong way in a stolen vehicle, police said.

Around 2:30 a.m., Fairfax officers were notified about a suspicious vehicle parked outside a home on Tamalpais Road. Police Lt. William Cade said someone was seen taking items from the property. Authorities later saw a matching vehicle driving in an opposing traffic lane and stopped it near Azalea Avenue and Spruce Road.

Officers found stolen property and burglary tools and learned that vehicle had been reported stolen in San Rafael, Cade said.

Delison Deleon Lopez, 26, of San Rafael was arrested on suspicion of burglary, grand theft, vehicle theft, conspiracy, burglary tool possession and driving the wrong way. Elder Santay Vasquez, 22, of San Rafael was arrested on suspicion of burglary, vehicle theft, conspiracy, burglary tool possession and narcotics possession.

Both suspects were booked into the Marin County Jail, where their bail amounts were set at $50,000.

SAN ANSELMO

New principal takes
charge at high school

Jacob Gran, most recently the assistant principal at El Cerrito High School, was named principal of Archie Williams High School.

Gran, whose position took effect Monday, has a starting annual salary of $193,922.

Gran fills the vacancy left by LaSandra White, who moved to a position at the Tamalpais Union High School District office.

MILL VALLEY

City board rejects
tree removal appeal

The Planning Commission has denied an appeal by a resident seeking to remove a heritage coast redwood tree.

The tree at 110 Sunnyside Ave. is about 100 feet tall and has a trunk diameter of about 60 inches, according to a staff report by Patrick Kelly, the city planning and building director. The resident filed an application last year to remove the tree, citing concerns about its health, the risk of it falling on buildings and the fire risk from power lines, among other factors.

A zoning administrator denied the request, finding no basis to allow the tree to be taken down, according to the planning office. The resident filed another application this year, and that was denied as well.

The resident appealed to the Planning Commission. It held a hearing on June 25 and rejected the appeal, Kelly said.