Remote Surveillance Trailer in Novato, CA

Baseball season is back, and fans around Novato have plenty of ways to catch the action — whether that means meeting up at a local restaurant, heading to a nearby ballpark or supporting youth baseball close to home.

Ready to get started? Here are a few ways to enjoy the season around Novato and the wider Marin County area.

From neighborhood restaurants to lively bar-and-grill spots, there are several places around Novato where fans can grab a bite and follow the game.

Finnegan's Marin Located in downtown Novato, Finnegan’s Marin blends the feel of an Irish pub with a classic American bar and grill, offering a full bar, outdoor patio and televisions for watching sports. It's a longtime gathering place where locals meet up for food, drinks and game-day conversation.

Vinny's Pizza & Cocktails Vinny’s Pizza & Cocktails in Novato has a sports-bar feel with multiple TVs, making it an easy place to grab food and drinks while keeping up with the game.

Toast Novato Toast Novato is a local favorite known for its relaxed atmosphere, creative menu and full bar — a good spot to meet friends and keep an eye on the game.

Fans around Novato also have easy access to live baseball throughout the Bay Area.

San Francisco Giants Just across the Golden Gate Bridge, Oracle Park in San Francisco is home to the San Francisco Giants and offers one of the most scenic Major League Baseball settings in the country.

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics provide another nearby option for fans who want to catch big-league baseball within driving distance of Marin County.

Local leagues and community programs help keep baseball active for young players across Novato.

Novato Little League North Novato Little League North provides youth baseball opportunities for families throughout the community, offering competitive and developmental programs during the spring season.

Novato South Little League Novato South Little League serves players ages 4–13 and focuses on creating a fun, skill-building environment where kids can learn the game and grow as teammates.

From youth leagues and community fields to neighborhood restaurants and nearby major league ballparks, baseball remains an active part of life around Novato each season.

However you follow the game — at a bar, a ballpark or a neighborhood field — baseball season offers plenty of ways for fans around Novato to join in.

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A respiratory virus that doesn’t have a vaccine or a specific treatment regimen is spreading in some parts of California — but there’s no need to sound the alarm just yet, public health officials say.

A majority of Northern California communities have seen high concentrations of human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, detected in their wastewater, according to data from the WastewaterScan Dashboard, a public database that monitors sewage to track the presence of infectious diseases.

A Los Angeles Times data analysis found the communities of Merced in the San Joaquin Valley, and Novato and Sunnyvale in the San Francisco Bay Area have seen increases in HMPV levels in their wastewater between mid-December and the end of February.

HMPV has also been detected in L.A. County, though at levels considered low to moderate at this point, data show.

While HMPV may not necessarily ring a bell, it isn’t a new virus. Its typical pattern of seasonal spread was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its resurgence could signal a return to a more typical pre-coronavirus respiratory disease landscape.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is HMPV?

HMPV was first detected in 2001, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s transmitted by close contact with someone who is infected or by touching a contaminated surface, said Dr. Neha Nanda, chief of infectious diseases and hospital epidemiologist for Keck Medicine of USC.

Like other respiratory illnesses, such as influenza, HMPV spreads and is more durable in colder temperatures, infectious-disease experts say.

Human metapneumovirus cases commonly start showing up in January before peaking in March or April and then tailing off in June, said Dr. Jessica August, chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa.

However, as was the case with many respiratory viruses, COVID disrupted that seasonal trend.

Why are we talking about HMPV now?

Before the pandemic hit in 2020, Americans were regularly exposed to seasonal viruses like HMPV and developed a degree of natural immunity, August said.

That protection waned during the pandemic, as people stayed home or kept their distance from others. So when people resumed normal activities, they were more vulnerable to the virus. Unlike other viruses, there isn’t a vaccine for human metapneumovirus.

“That’s why after the pandemic we saw record-breaking childhood viral illnesses because we lacked the usual immunity that we had, just from lack of exposure,” August said. “All of that also led to longer viral seasons, more severe illness. But all of these things have settled down in many respects.”

In 2024, the national test positivity for HMPV peaked at 11.7% at the end of March, according to the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System. The following year’s peak was 7.15% in late April.

So far this year, the highest test positivity rate documented was 6.1%, reported on Feb. 21 — the most recent date for which complete data are available.

While the seasonal spread of viruses like HMPV is nothing new, people became more aware of infectious diseases and how to prevent them during the pandemic, and they’ve remained part of the public consciousness in the years since, August and Nanda said.

What are the symptoms of HMPV?

Most people won’t go to the doctor if they have HMPV because it typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms that include cough, fever, nasal congestion and sore throat.

HMPV infection can progress to:

Anyone can contract human metapneumovirus, but those who are immunocompromised or have other underlying medical conditions are at particular risk of developing severe disease — including pneumonia. Young children and older adults are also considered higher-risk groups, Nanda said.

What is the treatment for HMPV?

There is no specified treatment protocol or antiviral medication for HMPV. However, it’s common for an infection to clear up on its own and treatment is mostly geared toward soothing symptoms, according to the American Lung Assn.

A doctor will likely send you home and tell you to rest and drink plenty of fluids, Nanda said.

If symptoms worsen, experts say you should contact your healthcare provider.

How to avoid contracting HMPV

Infectious-disease experts said the best way to avoid contracting HMPV is similar to preventing other respiratory illnesses.

The American Lung Assn.’s recommendations include:

Assistant data and graphics editor Vanessa Martínez contributed to this report.

NOVATO, CA — Novato may soon take a more targeted swing at some of its most pressing traffic, pedestrian and bike‑safety trouble spots.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Novato City Council signaled support for a new agenda item that would bundle a series of previously studied, shovel‑ready intersection, crosswalk and road‑safety improvements into a focused capital project.

Councilmember Tim O’Connor proposed the idea, saying the city has already invested significant staff time analyzing problem locations across town.

“Over the years, a considerable amount of staff time has gone into analyzing a number of intersections, crosswalks and other safety improvements across Novato,” O’Connor said.

The new item would let the council look at the viability of a targeted approach that could move several of those projects forward in the coming budget cycle.

O'Connor suggested limiting the list to projects that are already studied, staff‑supported and vetted by the Complete Streets and Pathways Oversight Committee, often referred to informally as “shovel‑ready” projects.

“One of the things I found as we were working and advocating for Measure M is people have road safety, and pedestrian safety is front of mind for a lot of folks across the city,” he said.

Councilmember Pat Eklund called it a great idea but pressed for coordination with the Safe Routes to Schools committee, where she serves, to avoid duplication. She also asked for a clear look at funding tradeoffs.

“I think it would be helpful for us to have a discussion so that we can provide more direction to staff,” Eklund said. “I’d like to have an understanding about how much of Measure M would be devoted to this versus other projects.”

City Manager Amy Cunningham said staff could bring the item back as early as March, if there was council support, with a list of candidate projects and funding options.

NOVATO, CA — The Marin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the purchase an office building on Ignacio Boulevard, planning to move two departments there to achieve long-term financial savings, officials said.

Two Marin County departments and their staff will soon move from a longtime leased facility into a County-owned building, a shift intended to reduce escalating long-term leasing costs, according to a County announcement.

The supervisors approved the purchase of the 17,406-square-foot office building in southern Novato's Ignacio neighborhood.

The plan is to relocate the Department of Agriculture / Weights & Measures and the Marin office of the University of California Cooperative Extension from their current 20-year home at 1682 Novato Blvd. in downtown Novato. The new location will be the commercial office building at 350 Ignacio Boulevard.

Several dozen County workers will ultimately work out of the new offices, the County noted. This includes 14 AWM staff members and 22 UCCE Marin staff members, which also features regional UCCE employees who serve neighboring counties. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services is reportedly considering placement of some staff in the building to expand services within Novato.

The County paid $3 million for the building, which is situated near the intersection of Ignacio Boulevard and Alameda del Prado.

The Board initially authorized option agreements for the property in August 2025 and later approved notices of intent to purchase the property in December 2025, officials said.

With the lease at 1682 Novato Blvd. set to expire in October 2026, the County determined that continuing to lease the space was not practical over the long term, the staff reported.

In its staff report, the County said the current offices were overcrowded, outdated, and functionally obsolete. Proposals for expanding the space came with significant costs, officials stated. Landlord-proposed lease increases of 90 percent to 118 percent would have pushed total lease costs to more than $800,000 per year, according to the County.

Officials anticipate that ownership of 350 Ignacio Blvd. is expected to provide long-term cost stability and financial predictability.

Based on current analysis, the County anticipates reaching a cost break-even point within 10 years, after which continued use of the building will result in substantial savings compared to leasing.

Following the acquisition, staff expect to occupy the building after interior improvements are completed to ensure the space effectively supports public-facing services and day-to-day operations.

The work is expected to take place over the coming months, with occupancy anticipated during late fall. Renovations will focus on creating functional, accessible workspaces that meet the needs of the departments serving the community, while minimizing disruption, officials said.

Once employees move in, phone numbers for AWM and UCCE Marin workers will remain the same as their office lines at 1682 Novato Blvd.