Shutdown Impacts; Home Sales; Tipsy Tows; Wind Advisory: Patch PM

NORTH BAY, CA – Missed today's headlines? Here are the Patch stories from Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties that people are talking about today:

Free 'Tipsy Tows' Available On New Year's Eve In NorCal

• AAA Northern California is offering its free Tipsy Tow service to make sure drivers end 2018 responsibly and start 2019 safely.

Wind Advisory Issued For North Bay Hills

• Winds are expected from the north at 20 to 35 mph, with local gusts up to 60 mph across ridges and peaks, the weather service said.

Stubble Burn Season Ends This Week In Bay Area

• The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a reminder that the burn season for stubble ends Dec. 31.

Bay Area Homes Sales Drop 15 Percent In November

• It was the sixth straight month that home sales have declined. Median sales prices for the year are up.

Criminal Charges Against PG&E Possible

• Murder, manslaughter or lesser charges could result from wildfires, state attorney general says in court brief.

Bausch & Lomb To Pay $135K In Deceptive Packaging Case

• Bausch & Lomb was ordered to pay a $135,000 settlement in a consumer protection case, the Marin County District Attorney's Office said.

Shutdown Impacts Services At Point Reyes National Seashore

• The ongoing partial government shutdown continues to affect services at Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County.

4 Arrested After Trying To Evade Police Checkpoint In Novato

• Novato police arrested four people suspected of causing an accident after trying to evade a DUI-driver's license checkpoint.

San Rafael Subway Shop Robbed

• The clerk gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of cash, and the suspect fled the scene with the money and a sandwich.

Witnesses Keep DUI Driver At Scene Of Petaluma Crash: Police

• A repeat DUI offender who flipped his car onto a Petaluma sidewalk was allegedly driving with a BAC greater than four times the legal limit.

Fire Responders, Santa-Cop Deliver Toys To Displaced Fire Victims

• First responders and organizations delivered toys to the children and families displaced by an apartment fire in San Rafael.

Double Active-Shooter Drill Planned In 2 Napa County Cities

• Notices have gone out to residents within a half-mile of the two active-shooter drill sites, a Napa County official said.

Sonoma County Veterans Service Office To Increase Drop-In Hours

• The new hours take effect Jan. 14.

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