Community Corner

What Was That: A Parachute in Someone's Backyard

New column explores all the little mysteries around town.

Sometimes we want to know what was going on with the all the protestors outside the bank or how come there was a giant hole in the middle of the park or have you heard anything about construction at Good Earth?

In short: what was that?

You all have these questions -- I know, you ask me about them all the time. But, I don't always have the answers.

Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Or, even if we can figure out why there were police with assault rifles in front of Union Bank two weeks ago, the answer isn't always interesting enough to warrant a whole article. [Union Bank was having problems with it's switchboard and twice in one week the panic alarm called the police, who responded prepared to deal with a bank robbery, only to find a false alarm. No need for alarm.]

But, just because it doesn't warrant a whole article, doesn't mean you don't deserve an answer.

Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So, welcome to our new column: What Was That?

We'll post to this column when there's something curious about town and we'll try to find out what that was. The answers will be short and sweet and, sometimes, we'll ask you what you know about the curious situation in question. Post in the comments your thoughts, answers, or what other crazy things you've seen about town -- and maybe whatever your question is will be our next mystery we tackle.

For the first edition of What Was That, residents wanted to know what was all this they heard about a parachuter landing in San Anselmo?

A resident on Barber Avenue, near the Ross border, reported on Saturday that she found a parachute in her backyard. The night before, she told police, she had seen four flaming objects in the sky.

Det. Cpl. Julie Gorwood said police determined it was a flare that was set off accidentally, but officers couldn't determine from where.

Clarification: Flares that are fired into the air come down with small parachutes attached to them.


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