Cotati woman, Santa Rosa man help rescue oily birds

<p>On the Gulf Coast of Louisiana the other day, Cotati's Doris Duncan firmly scrubbed one oiled pelican after another as scores more awaited their turn in the tub.</p><p>"The oil's horrible, it's really thick," said Doris, the director of Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue who's working at the Fort Jackson Bird Rehabilitation Center in Venice, La.</p><p>At first it was taking her and the other bird-washers 90 minutes to clean each bird, but she said a better cleanser was allowing them to cut the time in half. Doris wanted to be as efficient as possible because about 200 birds were enduring the burning sensation caused by the oil as they waited for their baths.</p><p>"It's amazing what these poor birds have to tolerate," she said.</p><p>"I washed baby pelicans all day so far and one baby laughing gull," she added. "I'm just so grateful for the high quality people here -- very compassionate, caring and hard working."</p><p>She and her colleagues at the bird rescue center are doing all they can for all the oiled birds and trying not to think too much about the presumably many more that are going unrescued.</p><h3>ARCHITECT JAIME STICH....</h3> <p>ARCHITECT JAIME STICH of Santa Rosa has returned from the gulf after a two-week stint as a bird washer.</p><p>Like Doris, Jamie, who's with the Santa Rosa architectural firm TLCD, was trained for the work at the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Fairfield.</p><p>Though water and oil don't mix, Jamie tells of talking to a fishing-boat captain in Louisiana who told him that, sadly, even before the BP disaster that an oil sheen on the ocean marked "just another day on the gulf."</p><h3>LISA HEMENWAY ...</h3> <p>LISA HEMENWAY, one of Sonoma County's most restlessly inventive apostles of good eating, is up to her elbows in preparations for transforming the former Skyhawk Village Market into a rustic, French-style marketplace that she'll call Fresh.</p><p>Lisa is creating a family-friendly spot that includes the wood-fired pizza oven that Mike Runyan, former Santa Rosa councilman and Food4Less owner, and his partners had built for the market before their venture went belly up.</p><p>She wants her place to be casual. "I already did the white-tablecloth thing," said the former proprietor of fine restaurants at Montgomery Village and Town &amp; Country.</p><p>The chefs working with her are Greg Markey, who was with Michael Hirschberg at Sienna and Highfeather catering, and Lou Chambrone, whose kitchen resumé includes Sweet Lou's, the former Cotati Cabaret.</p><p>Dick Bourns of Santa Rosa-based Econoline Signs is helping her create a classic North Coast atmosphere using images of Sonoma County. The eating experience may be French, but the setting and the food will be all Sonoma County.</p><p>Lisa shoots for a fresh start in August.</p><h3>RIALTO'S LAST SUMMER:</h3> <p>RIALTO'S LAST SUMMER: As Ky Boyd continues his quest to find a permanent new home for the Rialto Cinemas Lakeside, friends of the art house are calling for a come-all movie night on Saturday.</p><p>"Our hope would be to fill the theater to let them know we care," said Lisa Ireland, one of the organizers.</p><p>There won't be any special screenings or speechifying. It's just an opportunity for lovers of the Rialto to come together and show their appreciation en masse.</p><p>Anybody who wants to come dressed as a favorite movie star or character is encouraged to cut loose.</p><p>The countdown is on because Boyd loses his lease Aug. 31. If he does open up somewhere else, there's likely to be a long intermission before the premiere of his new moviehouse.</p>