Black Swan makes unexpected visit

Resisting arrest in a 7-11 parking lot is nothing new, unless the perp is a rare black swan. The bird, gorgeous but angry, showed up out of nowhere at the convenience store on West Napa Street on Friday morning, hissing and charging at customers and... Continue

Friedman's burglars make U-Haul getaway

Sonoma police are close to identifying the two suspects who broke into Friedman’s Home Improvement at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday and sped away in a U-Haul truck partially filled with stolen tools. The men are also linked to an attempt the next night, December 11,... Continue

Local cookbooks: the most delicious gifts

As I slowly crack open new a cookbook for the very first time, I can’t hide my anticipation. My excitement level must be near to a little kid in a candy shop, a teenager behind the wheel for their first spin around the block. I... Continue

The young voices of democracy, Sonoma teens on why patriotism still matters

Since 1943, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veteran of Foreign War’s premier scholarship program. Each year more than 100,000 high school students compete fir more than $2.5 million in scholarships and incentives. Featured here is the winner from VFW Sonoma Post #1943, scripts... Continue

Evironmental report card for local officials

Sonoma City Councilmembers Laurie Galian and Steve Barbose, along with Supervisor Susan Gorin, earned high grades from Sonoma County Conservation Action on its annual Environmental Report Card. Each received a grade of A- for the period between the summer of 2012 and the fall of... Continue

A cold day in Kaniv

It’s cold. Reminds me of our sister city, Kaniv, in the Ukraine, only its high is our low. So, if you’re complaining about the weather, think about Kaniv. Our sister city relationship in Kaniv is in slumber and like any hibernating animal, Sonoma hopes that... Continue

Untangling unhappy endings

Holiday hairballs abound this time of year. Some relationships have ended. As we reflect back, we realize that some stopped abruptly and some were never completed. Why do we split off, instead of mending these split ends? I hear it all the time: “Hey, I’m... Continue

My daily paper

I like getting the newspaper every day. I like the ritual of looking for it in the darkend driveway, and plopping it down on the kitchen table. I read the the “funnies” last, holding off what for me is the most revealing part of the... Continue

Breaking down ‘B’

Guest Opinion by John Kelly. Fifth Street West carries the heartbeat of Sonoma on a daily basis. Running North from the Leveroni Ranch, its side streets contain the homes of our firefighters and police officers, our teachers and nurses. Past Sassarini School, Safeway, and Sonoma... Continue

Sonoma, where the crime drama is a comedy

It’s a saga ripped from today’s headlines. Indeed, “The Sonoma Police Report” is perfect for a town where the daily paper comes out twice a week. Local Joshua Farrell has gathered “funny, odd tales from the wine country” right from the local police report. The... Continue