Armed purse snatcher found guilty

The man who confronted a Lucky supermarket employee at gunpoint and demanded her purse in a deserted parking lot at 4 a.m. has been found guilty of robbery. Mark Antonio Padilla, 21, of Turlock, faces a maximum of five years in state prison for the... Continue

Flu shot clinic at Vintage House

The Sonoma Valley Community Health Center will host flu shot clinics on two upcoming Saturday mornings at Vintage House: November 8 and December 6, both from 9 a.m. to noon. Flu shots will be offered for a requested $20 donation, and no one will be... Continue

As goes water, so goes Sonoma Valley

SUN EDITORIAL Once famous for its precious metals, it's now water that's precious here in California. Our northern region was so water rich Southern California became America's food basket, the California water aqueduct system moving millions of gallons of Northern water south and huge pumps... Continue

Yes/No: Water rate increase for Sonoma

Yes: Increase needed to maintain safe, reliable service Water rates need to be sufficient to cover the total cost of service while at the same time, maintaining an adequate operating reserve. The water utility is self-funded, meaning that it requires that revenues equal expenditures. The... Continue

Falling back; Council picks; What's Furmint?

That hour you lost last March? You can have it back on Sunday, November 2, as Daylight Savings Time ends…or begins. Whatever. A nuisance either way. So set your old-time clocks back (the enabled devices will handle it themselves) and enjoy an extra hour of... Continue

Who I’m voting for

Editor: After hearing the candidates speak and reading interviews with them in both local newspapers, I have finally decided on the three candidates I will vote for in the coming election. For the past four years, we have had a council with a majority that... Continue

Coming to terms with Halloween

Try as we may to be blasé - making it the subject of horror movies, detective dramas, novels and so forth - the mystery of death remains humanity's primary conscious and unconscious preoccupation. The heart of philosophy and religion, not to mention Hollywood, "the great... Continue

Every musket ball tells a story

As westward expansion began to slowly creep into Mexican territory by the mid 1830s, men, women and children made their way west across the country, hoping for a new beginning in California. In the early years, westward expansion on the California Trail was a man’s... Continue

Time for a detox?

Are you toxic? You probably are. In fact, you would probably be shocked if you knew how toxic you really are. Without going into the gory details, lets just say if you were to die today and we were to open you up it would... Continue

Water Agency on ‘vulnerable’ groundwater supply

(By Jay Jasperse | Sonoma County Water Agency). The Sonoma Valley is a wonderful place to live, but this ostensible oasis is quite vulnerable to water supply stresses. Residents of Sonoma Valley rely on a mix of groundwater and surface water to meet the needs... Continue