Novato News

A group of U.S. retailers, including Macy's and Target, sued Visa and MasterCard on Thursday, breaking off from a proposed $7.2 billion settlement reached last year over fees to process credit card transactions.

The city of Novato is seeking volunteers to help out with its Fourth of July parade, which will take place starting at 10 a.m. at Redwood Boulevard and Grant Avenue.

Piles of mulch await purchase by contractors at Redwood Landfill, which is defending plans to expand and develop its composting.

THE NOVATO CITY COUNCIL is putting on hold plans to build two retail centers - for an estimated nine months - so City Hall can complete plans for the North Redwood Boulevard corridor, 13 acres at the north end of downtown.

The decision Tuesday came five months after the district's rank and file accepted what amounted to a 2.5 percent raise for last year, with raises for the next six years to be tied to the consumer price index for the area minus 0.3 percent.

The federal agency Wednesday released its latest population estimates through July 1, 2012 for cities and towns across the country.

The future - and the electricity bill - are now looking brighter for Bonnie Campbell, who after a year of effort was able to install a solar electric system on her home in Novato's Meadow Park affordable housing development in mid-May. "It's awesome," Campbell said.

You know summer is around the corner when the food festivals start in earnest. First up is the Marin Greek Festival from May 24 to 26 with authentic Greek specialties in abundance.

As widely reported , in the latest Lehman bankruptcy "fundraiser," managers of the Lehman estate are now demanding millions of dollars from non-profit retirement homes, colleges and hospitals.

Jasson Minadakis and Fred Taylor at the Marin Theatre Company fundraiser on May 10 at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley.

AU Energy, a Fremont company, has submitted an application to the city of Novato to renovate the Shell gas station and convenience store at 2085 Novato Blvd.

Marin County supervisors, mounting a record "community service" spending spree as a deadline nears to use funds from their controversial discretionary accounts, handed out more than $250,000 this month.

Board chairman Paul Sosnowski listens during a meeting of the Bradford Island Reclamation District in Bethel Island, Calif.

Graduates listen to the keynote address during commencement ceremonies at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif.

Brightening fiscal news will be reviewed Monday by Marin transit officials as they consider a $26.2 million operations budget for next fiscal year, up slightly from this year's $23.9 million.

John Purdue, an opponent of fluoridated water, holds a glass of tap water as he poses for a photo in San Rafael, Calif.

May 23 will be "Safety Day" at Olive Elementary School, with representatives from the California Highway Patrol, Novato Police Department and the Novato Fire District sharing information on how they keep citizens safe in the community and on roads and highways.

Marin chanteuse Raquel Bitton, best known as renowned interpreter of the music of Edith Piaf, continues her exploration of the Latin-French musical connection with this beautifully self-produced CD of songs by Tino Rossi, a legendary French singer and film star who was one of the great romantic idols of the last century.

Katie Hanrahan, Brian James and Gary Alexander, Sacramento State Archaeological Research Center staff assist on a dig for Indian artifacts on Thursday, May 16, 2013, along Highway 101 in Novato, Calif.

* What: The 1976 American tour by former Beatle Paul McCartney and his band Wings is captured in the concert film "Rockshow," presented in a digitally restored and remastered print.