The tale of how the paddling pup pulled from the middle of San Francisco Bay got there and who owns her remains a puzzle, but more details have emerged about her rescue by a pack of windsurfers and a boating commuter.

The dog, a black pup that appears to be a Labrador mix or a Mastiff, was pulled from the chilly bay waters about one-quarter mile west of the end of the old Berkeley Pier – a good two to three miles from shore – by windsurfers who spotted her struggling in the water Monday evening. They handed her off to Adam Cohen, a Berkeley engineer who commutes to and from San Francisco in an inflatable boat, who her took her to his home to recover.

On Tuesday, the dog was taken to Berkeley Dog and Cat Hospital to see if she had an embedded chip that might identify her owners. She didn’t, and rather than turn the dog over to an animal shelter, Cohen and his family are taking care of her at home while hoping her owners show up.

The Berkeley Dog and Cat Hospital is helping with the search for the owners. Anyone who thinks they may know the dog’s owners is asked to call Katie Corrigan at (510) 225-4545.

The dog, who was wearing a collar but had no tags, seemed to be recovering nicely, said Lisa Grodin, Cohen’s wife.

“The dog follows me everywhere,” she said as the dog licked her. “She is so sweet. She’s lovely.”

While there have been plenty of calls from reporters and people interested in the dog and her story, Grodin said there were not yet any leads to her owners or clues as to how she ended up apparently swimming toward Angel Island in the cold, choppy bay.

The identity of the windsurfers who spotted her did emerge Tuesday, however. Ed Coyne, 62, a real estate investor from San Rafael, and John Newman, a San Francisco attorney, were windsurfing off Treasure Island about three miles west of Berkeley and four miles east of Crissy Field when they spotted a smallish black creature swimming.

“At first, we couldn’t tell whether it was a baby seal or what,” Newman said. “Then we saw it was a dog.”

Coyne said the dog kept swimming against the tide, and in choppy waters, but was struggling.

“She was completely exhausted,” he said. “Waves were coming and she’d get pushed under, then push her head back up and keep swimming.”

Coyne jumped into the water and called out to the dog but couldn’t get her attention. He got back on his board, circled in front and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. He placed her on the board, where she sat shivering but seemingly grateful to be out of the water.

Soon, nearby windsurfers gathered, keeping the dog out of the water while they used a radio to call the Coast Guard.

After waiting for about an hour, they flagged down Cohen, and called off the Coast Guard, helping lift the dog into the boat and to safety.

“Ed was determined to save and rescue that dog,” Newman said. “On Monday, he was that dog’s best friend.”

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/How-SF-Bay-s-paddling-pup-got-wet-still-a-mystery-4730582.php

“It’s terribly important in these rather depressing times,” said Walter Ruehlig, a school board member in Antioch, which hasn’t seen a fireworks display for Independence Day since 2009, when the city paid more than $80,000 for pyrotechnics, police overtime, and a management consultant firm to run the whole thing.

That didn’t happen again.

But this year, Antioch, Redwood City, Livermore and some other cities that quit paying for such celebrations are suddenly seeing businesses and fireworks aficionados collecting tens of thousands of dollars to make it happen.

“I’m an inveterate Fourth of July person. I love a parade,” said Ruehlig, who, with his wife, Cynthia, don clever costumes each year. Sonny and Cher. Popeye and Olive Oil. Clinton and Lewinsky.

So it was natural that people in Antioch turned to Ruehlig when they again felt the need for some colorful combustion. At a time when the city shuts down municipal offices each Friday to save money, Ruehlig and a team of volunteers managed to raise $65,000 from businesses and other donors to put on “the whole shebang.”

Morale booster

“The question is, why the devil would we do it?” Ruehlig asked. “Why not donate to the animal shelter or the Police Department,” which has lost 34 officers – a quarter of its force.

“Because,” Ruehlig said, “it’s a tremendous morale booster. I’m convinced it’s worth the money.”

So are the volunteers in other pyrotechnic-appreciating places.

Redwood City hosted a splashy bay-front spectacular as part of its July Fourth celebration for the better part of seven decades. Yet that ended in 2009, as costs spiraled to nearly $75,000.

Just as city officials were considering whether to offer a cheap, low-aerial show, a Redwood City company called Sims Metal Management decided to pass the hat for a real, sky-high display. In less than two months, Sims collected $50,000 from a dozen businesses and a pair of anonymous donors.

“People have had this tradition for 74 years, and they missed it,” said Chris Beth, the city’s parks director. “For the city to do this alone isn’t possible anymore. It takes all these groups together, and that’s the magic.”

Kenny Chee, the proprietor of Devastating Pyrotechnics in San Francisco, which will run the Redwood City show, is happy, too. He’s hoping the slow sales he’s seen for the past few years are over.

“I’m sold out!” he enthused. “I’m turning people away, buying new equipment. It’s awesome!”

Police costs met

One costly component of a Fourth of July spectacular is police overtime and holiday pay – sometimes as expensive as the fireworks themselves.

In Livermore, when a group of residents told the city they would raise the money to resurrect the fireworks, the city found a way around the holiday pay and overtime problem, said Troy Brown, the assistant city manager.

It turns out that Livermore police owe the city five days a year to make up for reduced schedules at other times, Brown said, and for the first time this year they will provide the time over July Fourth.

“We’re saving probably $25,000,” he said. “It’s phenomenal.”

Troubles set aside

Although cities are still struggling economically, residents and city officials say that this year, Independence Day will be a chance to set aside their troubles and experience joy for the nation that is as resilient as they are.

“You should hear the phone calls I’m getting!” said Carrie Baulwin at the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Vallejo, which emerged from bankruptcy this year.

Although volunteers provided a fireworks show last year, no one was certain it would happen again. And Baulwin said she is delighted to tell them it will.

“People say, ‘That’s wonderful, and we’re coming down early,’ ” Baulwin said. “And why not have a celebration? It’s time. And fireworks make you feel good.”

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @nanetteasimov

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Fireworks-return-to-some-Bay-Area-towns-3680028.php