The Buzz

New recruits: Petalumans Josh Nazzal and Matthew Ortega celebrated graduation from the San Francisco Police Academy on July 31.

Nazzal, the son of Vicky and George Nazzal, is a 2004 graduate of St. Vincent de Paul High School. Ortega, the son of Marly and Danny Ortega, is a 2002 graduate of Petaluma High School. Both recruits graduated from an intense 27-week program that included firearms training, criminal law and procedure and defensive tactics to prepare them for their field training phase. Nazzal’s police star was pinned on him by his father, who is a San Francisco police inspector. Ortega’s star was pinned by Petaluman and San Francisco police Lt. Molly Pengel. Nazzal will begin his field training at the Southern Station. Ortega will begin his on the Tenderloin Task Force.

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Making headlines: Petaluma cob sculptor Miguel Lom Elliott was featured in a July 29 segment about his work on ABC Channel 7 News. Similar to adobe, cob is a building material that’s been around for centuries and is a mixture of sand, clay and straw that can be sculpted and dried in the sun. Cob can be used to build all sorts of structures, from homes and benches to ovens and art. It differs from adobe in that it is not made into bricks. Locals may want to check out some of his work in person at his booth at the Sonoma County Fair, or visit his Web site at www.livingearthstructures.com.

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Get your tickets right here: Tickets for the 22nd annual Carousel Fund Casino Night on Oct. 3 are available for purchase at Wells Fargo Bank, 100 Petaluma Blvd. South, and at Spatini in the Petaluma Mill on Petaluma Boulevard. This year’s event features special guest performer Frankie Avalon, casino games and live and silent auctions. The event raises money for families in Petaluma with children with a catastrophic illness. Casino Night is held at the Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building, 1094 Petaluma Blvd. South. Tickets are $65. To order tickets by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and check to The Carousel Fund, 503 Hayes St., Petaluma 94952.

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Petaluma unmentionables: Julie Kramer, owner of Petaluma-based Evoke Intimates, recently launched a new line of playful women’s underwear inspired by mood rings and days of the week undies. The panties come in seven colors, with one of 14 different moods printed on them, so there’s an undie to match any frame of mind. For details, visit www.evokeintimates.com or check them out in person at Sorella Boutique at 6 Petaluma Blvd. North in the Petaluma Mill.

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Empty no more: The Petaluma360.com forums are buzzing with the news that a couple of prominent storefront vacancies are being filled. At the Plaza North Shopping Center, the former Togo’s sandwich spot is undergoing remodeling to transition to a T-Mobile cell phone store. And across town, the large Couches Etc. building at the corner of Western and Kentucky has re-opened as a Sleep City mattress retailer. The Couches building (formerly Carither’s department store) has been the focus of much speculation and wishful thinking among forum participants, with ideas for new tenants ranging from a Cheesecake Factory restaurant to an indoor farmers market. Now that Sleep City has moved in, one forums member said he may try to convince his wife to put off their purchase of a new mattress so they can buy one here in town.

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