Getting on the unbeaten path

Dogs are not allowed on State Parks property, a bone of contention for owners looking forward to the new Montini Trail. Unfortunately for them, the path begins at Fourth Street West with a short easement across parks land, making dogs a no-go. The Sonoma City Council voted Monday to send a letter to Assemblymember Marc Levine and Senator Lois Walk asking them to push State Parks to allow leashed dogs to traverse the proposed easement leading to the city-owned trail… To Bob Edwards ear, citizens speaking against the move were careening down an unpaved slippery slope. “You could almost hear it: ‘If you do this, what’s next? Bestiality? People marrying dogs on the trail’?”

Another empty storefront, at least until Williams Sonoma builds its store/café at 601 Broadway. Out after 18 years is Broadway Catering which will reemerge in a new location in March, according to owner Tom Romano. No new spot decided yet; he’s checking out options, including looking at space in a restaurant or commercial kitchen. The Broadway storefront was nice for people-watching, chatting with friends and passersby (potential clients all), but he really needs is a basic kitchen, a phone and a computer. Now comes time to reassess and, for the first time in forever, take a few weekends off. Change, even if it’s forced on you, he says, can be a good thing.

The unstoppable Sheana Davis will open a second Epicurean Connection in May, in Penngrove. The project sounds like a foodie hub/public market; initial tenants include a seafood bar, bakery, coffee shop, and beer and wine bar… Sounds like a great idea for Jack London Village.

Take me to you litter. Didn’t Eight Street East look a little cleaner this week? Thank members of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley, who got up early on a Saturday morning to pick up several tons of trash along the roadway – both sides – between Napa Road and Napa Street. Another good deed, indeed.

A salute to Bob Nobles, a true hometown hero, riding into a fine Sonoma Valley sunset in a gleaming new Chevy… Many years ago, Stan Pappas was looking to improve a deal he’d made at the dealership. “Bob,” he said, “Why don’t you sharpen your pencil and see if we can lower these numbers?” Nobles smooth reply: “Stan, this deal already broke the pencil.”