The Sonoma Stompers baseball team, which debuted here last year as a member of the Pacific Association, an independent minor league, has been sold to local residents Eric and Lani Gullotta. Eric Gullotta, a Sonoma native, is the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Sonoma Athletics and Entertainment, the Stompers new ownership group. The Sonoma attorney orchestrated and negotiated the purchase of the franchise from the Redwood Sports and Entertainment, the company that founded the club and still owns the rival San Rafael Pacifics. “Local ownership will bring some much needed life to this team,” Gullotta told Ballpark Digest. A local owner – not to mention a big baseball fan – will bring “Sonoma an entertaining and successful team, and an even better place for families and fans of all ages to spend their summer.” The Stompers front office remains the same: Theo Fightmaster staying on as the vice president, chief operating officer and general manager. Sonoma High and Sonoma State University grad Sean Boisson has been promoted to assistant GM…. When the season starts in June, will Gullotta, a Sun columnist on estate planning, request a move to the sports desk?
Arnold Field is actually a county facility, so it will be Susan Gorin and the Parks Department folks that get the calls about fixing the Arnold Field bathrooms for next season. Let’s hope the Stompers pitching is nowhere as leaky… Sonoma city officials, meanwhile, are focused on basketball — as in the menace of portable hoops on city streets and residential sidewalks. Turns out the baskets are prohibited, as announced in a notice giving residents 72 hours to remove all such lane violations. In the recent stormy weather, some were knocked over by the wind and others covered water drains, causing flooding. Double dribbling and then some.
Bruce Cohn wants to move his annual fall music festival from the winery grounds into the town of Sonoma. The impresario and honorary Doobie Brother tells the city council he has a deal with the proposed venue, the Sonoma Valley Field of Dreams – same spot as the late Sonoma Jazz Plus Festival, which fizzled out several years ago. Cohn moving his popular two-day fest will save over $100,000 in production costs that go directly to the charity recipients, money “above and beyond what we normally raise.” Look for the newly minted Sonoma Music Festival to debut October 2-4.
Your congressman, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) was sworn in today as the representative in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 114th Congress. “This new Congress gives us a fresh opportunity to move past partisan gridlock and address the issues and challenges facing American families,” said the optimistic Thompson. “As our district’s representative, I am committed to working across the aisle to make sure our economy works for everyone, our education system leaves no one behind, our debt is lowered, our streets are safe, and our veterans and seniors get the benefits they’ve earned. By working together, I know we can achieve these goals.” Let’s see how he feels when Speaker John Boehner puts him on hold.
Be First to Comment