Dave Allen

San Francisco

Digital Editor at Marin Independent Journal

Digital editor / Opinion editor of @marinij website for the Marin Independent Journal newspaper in Northern California.

Articles

Editorial: Appeal of proposed Fairfax development worthy of attention

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Former Fairfax Mayor Lew Tremaine wants to slam the brakes on plans to build a six-story, 243-unit apartment building on School Street Plaza, a nearly two-acre downtown site at 95 Broadway. He filed an appeal of the town’s approval of the plans. The problem is the town hasn’t approved it. Tremaine is no uninformed novice when it comes to the legalities of land-use planning. But he may not be up to speed where the plan stands in that process.
Editorial: County’s costly new executive form of government needs to deliver

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

In 2023, when the Marin Board of Supervisors decided to change to an “executive” form of county bureaucracy, there wasn’t talk of increased cost. There certainly wasn’t talk of it adding more than $4 million to the county’s annual budget. The move was sold as a culmination of changes the county management had been moving toward, where more and more departments were answering directly to the county administrator.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for June 8, 2025

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

E-bike ‘library’ for workers who commute could helpMarin’s biggest cause of air pollution is automobiles. Too many Marin nurses, cooks and sales clerks (among others) are forced to drive long distances (likely in older cars) because trains and buses don’t efficiently travel to their workplaces or residences. The gas prices harm their pockets, and the fumes damage our planet.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for June 7, 2025

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

SB 79 would greatly impact Marin townsAs a former member of the Sausalito City Council, I am deeply concerned about the impact of Senate Bill 79, which promotes dense housing near transit hubs. What will it do to our small town, as well as others across Marin County and the state? Sausalito’s charm and economy rely on its natural beauty and unique character — but it also faces serious challenges: fire risk, sea-level rise and unstable landfill zones. Local communities understand these risks best.
Editorial: New Marin registrar has right resume for tough job

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

As Natalie Adona assumes the helm of the Marin County Registrar of Voters office, she’s stepping into an civic operation that is well run; powered by a dedicated and professional staff; and in a community that votes. Marin has one of the highest percentage of registered voters in the state, with more than 170,000 voters – better than 93% of those eligible to cast ballots.
Editorial: In-car emergency alert system is worth a try

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

We’ve all seen it happen. We’re driving down a road and see a fire truck or ambulance approaching at a fast pace. We pull over to the right and stop to provide the first responders an unhampered route to get to the emergency as quickly as possible. But often, we also see other motorists who aren’t pulling over. Maybe they don’t see the lights or hear the siren. The Tiburon and Southern Marin fire departments are taking steps to help solve that problem.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for June 5, 2025

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Planned building along Shoreline will be a monsterLast month, the Marin County Planning Commission unanimously gave final approval to a five-story, 32-apartment building proposal at 150 Shoreline Highway near Mill Valley. I believe it is the largest building with the most variances in recent history. As the owner of an adjacent property, I think it will be a monster. This location is in the “scenic zone” along Richardson Bay. Projects there should adhere to a 25-foot limit.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for June 4, 2025

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Administration is a threat to the integrity of the EPAFor 40 years, I had the privilege of serving at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 9 headquarters in San Francisco. I worked alongside committed public servants — environmental scientists, engineers and emergency responders, as well as legal and policy experts — all devoted to a singular mission: protecting human health and the environment.
Editorial: NDAs are for Hollywood, not Sacramento

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

We all get tired, we’re sure — as journalists, and as members of the public — of non-disclosure agreements entered into by fancy people, and by politicians. Other than to not let embarrassing facts become public, what’s the point of NDAs? Most of us are on the side of the facts. But let the celebrities and their minions sign what they will. In California, when it comes to matters in the public interest, we should not let our elected officials enter into NDAs that involve issues that affect us all.
Editorial: Communication key in addressing permits for pop-up food vendors

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

San Rafael’s initiative aimed at so-called “pop up” food vendors is not a matter of picking on struggling immigrants, but one of community public health. The city’s police department and the county Environmental Health Services division will be launching special patrols to distribute handouts to vendors on how to obtain necessary permits. The county division is responsible for food-related licensing and inspections of restaurants and food-serving stores.

Journalists covering the same region

Giuseppe Ricapito

Reporter at Marin Independent Journal

Giuseppe Ricapito primarily covers news in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States, including surrounding areas like Marin County and Sonoma County.