Reber first to file
Earlier this week, David Reber of El Verano filed a Declaration of Candidacy and Candidate Statement to challenge Valerie Brown, incumbent First District Supervisor, in the upcoming June 3 election. A Sonoma native, father of three, and former school board member, Reber has adopted the campaign slogan, “Putting the First District First.”
Three of the five seats on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors are up for election this June. Mike Reilly of the Fifth District and Tim Smith of the Third District are both retiring.
Faith Lutheran Preschool closes
The preschool at Faith Lutheran Church, on Arnold Drive at Petaluma Avenue, will close as of February 19. Pastor Tom Windsor, who took over as pastor in November, told the Sun, “We are all hurting about this. It was a financial decision.” In a further, prepared statement, he said, “The primary reason for the closure is that our program was not attracting enrollment levels to allow ongoing operation. The preschool was requiring subsidy on a recurring basis from the church’s general fund.”
Parents expressed shock and sadness. Sheila Martin said, “Twenty-four parents received notice on Monday that the school is closing in two weeks.” Joy Dunham said, ”I think it’s pretty inconsiderate that they couldn’t at least give the parents more notice. It’s not like a job where you can go get unemployment. I trusted them with everything I had and now, I don’t know what to do with my child.”
Debbie Kulack, who has been director of the school for 17 years, said it’s nobody’s fault; the school just wasn’t making budget. “The church … had meetings about it, trying to figure out what can we do. They didn’t see it feasible, in the long run. The church is going through a change. They would have loved to have kept it but they couldn’t support it.” She said the location factors in, too. “It’s hard to keep a business going here. Young families have a hard time buying houses here, so they’re starting to move away.” To her, it was amazing enough they’d lasted 17 years, and she hopes for a positive outcome. “It’s hard for the parents, it’s hard for the kids, to be uprooted. One door closed but another might open. God will take care of us – He always does.”
City council honors Robert Behrens
At last week’s city council meeting, Sonoma Mayor Joanne Sanders honored landscape architect Robert Behrens, whose Veterans Cemetery will be a place of peace for generations to come, for his dedication over the years to the natural beauty of Sonoma. This was the Sonoma City Council’s first meeting in its sleek new chambers.
Leaving the dais, Sanders came to the back of the room and stood before Behrens, who is ill, and now wheel-chair bound, and read a simple but emotional proclamation praising his contribution and thanking him on behalf of the city for all he has done to create beauty. When she finished reading, there were tears and a standing ovation.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Behrens said, “I want to thank the Mayor and the current city council. It’s a very deep honor, which my family and I will treasure. I hope people for generations will come to the memorial for quiet reflection and comfort. I want to thank you for long periods of support, overcoming conflict, and I just want to say I love each one in this room.” He presented the mayor with a framed photograph of the memorial, and received another round of applause.
After Behrens left the room, council member Ken Brown said, “If people enjoy the way our town looks, our green methods, that’s thanks to Mr. Behrens. He was a voice, he was persistent, and he turned out to be right.” Sanders added, “He designed the Veterans Cemetery as a place that wouldn’t be spooky, but as a place that would be like an outdoor living room.” Council member Stanley Cohen recalled, “The first city council I ever came to, Behrens stood up and said, ‘Your challenge is to look forward.’”
School lunch beef “on hold”
The Sonoma Valley Unified School District, in compliance with an order from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has placed a temporary “hold” on all beef produced at Westland Meat Company until the USDA has declared such meat safe. Here in Sonoma, all commodity processed beef will be on hold, said district CFO Justin Frese.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell released a statement last week explaining that the meat has not been actually recalled, but placed on hold pending investigation of Westland Meat.
The investigation arose from a video made at the company, which supplies beef to over 100,000 schools nationwide, reportedly showing workers prodding, kicking and forklifting to slaughter “downed” cows, which are cows too sick to walk on their own. This has raised two issues, one about animal cruelty, of which O’Connell said, “I am very saddened to hear about the allegations of animal abuse at Westland,” and the other about health. “I want to assure every parent whose child is on the school lunch program that the California Department of Education will not tolerate anything that threatens the safety of food given to their children,” he said, raising the health issue on concerns that downed cows could be associated with e-coli or mad cow disease.
Police crack car case
Two 18-year-old males were caught red-handed early Thursday morning, as police deputies arrested a pair involved, they presume, in the string of thefts that has targeted Sonoma’s east side for almost four months.
At 2:23 a.m., police deputies were called about a break-in on Lucca Court, off Fourth Street East near Lovall Valley Road. The residents reported a male prowler walking around their home, after hearing the security alarms on their cars, and had noticed that the cars’ interior lights were on.
The deputies gambled that the prowler would escape down the bike path, and so entered the bike path themselves from Second Street East, working back toward Fourth Street East. There, they encountered three men. One fled; the other two were caught: Malcolm “Corey” Hermosillo and Johann Xavier Hernandez, both of Boyes Hot Springs.
The victims readily identified the goods that the pair was carrying, including a hat with a victim’s name on it, two Leathermen tools, and a 30-gigabyte iPod. Both men were taken to the Sonoma County Jail, where they were charged with possession of stolen goods, possession of burglary tools, tampering with a vehicle, and conspiracy. Hermosillo had recently been released on bail.
Saturday stabbing
Saturday morning about 2:30 a.m., a stabbing was reported at the 7-11 store on West Napa Street. Deputies found a 30-year-old white male victim near the Black Bear Diner, with a wound to his lower abdomen. He was transported to Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa where he underwent surgery. A second victim, a 27-year-old white male, was later located near the Plaza. He suffered a small wound to his hand that was treated at the scene.
The suspects were described as two or more white males in a red, late-model, full-size Dodge pick-up truck with a billet-style grille. Two females were also reported to be with them.
