Good deeds rewarded; financial dog paddle; and the fox's final word

As generous as he is camera shy, Mike Thoreson dropped by the Hanna Boys Center campus Tuesday to see his donation -- $70,000 for laptops, one for every student – at work. The donation came about when Bob Figone, a Hanna boardmember, happened to recently... Continue

Drag racers, funny cars and ear plugs

Would you pay $60 for a gallon of fuel – and use four gallons in a four-second sprint -- if your ride could go 320 miles an hour? The top drag racers in the world bring their nitro-guzzling rockets to Sonoma Valley for the 27th... Continue

'Silence’ as Wiley exhibition closes

With works such as “Hear in Silence,” artist William T. Wiley confronts controversial topics with a sense of the absurd. From abstract roots some 50-plus years ago, the Bay Area artist – “a national treasure,” wrote “The Wall Street Journal” – Wiley developed a highly... Continue

Name change for Jack London Park operators

The name of the non-profit organization operating Jack London State Historic Park has been officially changed from Valley of the Moon Natural History Association to Jack London Park Partners. In 2011, Valley of the Moon Natural History Association (VMNHA) became the first non-profit organization to... Continue

Supervisor Gorin hosts Valley office hours

First District Supervisor Susan Gorin has set her upcoming Sonoma Valley office hours through September. Constituent appointments are available July 25, August 15, August 22, September 12 and September 26. All appointments will be held at 810 Grove Street, Sonoma. “I want to provide every... Continue

What's a gold medal mean anyway?

It scored well, but how does it taste to you? Greg Walter on the importance, perceived and otherwise, of wine competitions. Continue

Hospital closes senior gym; council race begins; bird food review

Many who used the Senior Wellness gym at Sonoma Valley Hospital aren’t happy with its closure, announced in a July 1 form letter to members. The budget-tightening move sends clients to the Parkpoint club, where they will get a reduced rate – for 90 days.... Continue

Tikal, toads and tarantulas

Wifi isn’t all that it’s cut out to be. The past couple of weeks I have been adventuring through Guatemala and Belize with the promise of good wifi, the kind of wifi that gets columns back to the states. Unfortunately, wifi didn’t always find it’s... Continue

SV Hospital gets Palm Drive rehab contract

The Palm Drive Health Care District has accepted Sonoma Valley Hospital’s proposal to assume management of the rehabilitation therapy service for the Sebastopol facility. The West County Hand and Physical Therapy Center shut down when the Palm Drive Hospital closed in April. “West County is... Continue

Police Blotter: Behind bars on Independence Day

Numerous alcohol-related busts July 4 in and around the Plaza festivities. One minor, male, 17, betrayed by the tell-tale Red Solo Cup, was popped for his backpack stash of raspberry vodka and amber ale. Another young man nervously threw a water bottle to the ground... Continue