To uncivilized people the whims of nature surely seemed capricious; their search for meaning behind devastating winds or a great flood gave rise to tales of gods, magic and otherworldly realms beyond the powers of direct human observation. Seasonal cycles, animal migrations, phases of the... Continue
The Valley saw some startling armed robberies and rip-offs over the holidays, suggesting that adding more police with tanks and bazookas isn’t working. Maybe we need a better class of criminals. Police blotters currently reflect the sad state of local thuggery. Despite being a ritzy-snooty... Continue
President Obama released the White House budget plan for 2015 this week, and even thought it is widely considered ‘Dead on Arrival’ in Washington-speak, he has set the predicate for the 2016 presidential election. It is encouraging that the progressive wing of the Democratic Party,... Continue
This is the transcript of Susan Gorin’s “State of the County” address delivered January 22. Each year, we gather at the State of the County to celebrate our successes, highlight our challenges, and provide a vision for where we are going. This year, our theme... Continue
Much has been written about last month’s violence in Paris. As a columnist and host of a radio show where I express my political, philosophic and religious opinions, I have been absorbed with the coverage of the attacks. The world is stunned and searching for... Continue
Happy 2015! If you have already made those ever-challenging New Year’s resolutions, you may want to add a few more. Sometimes resolutions can be hard to keep. But when money is at stake, I bet the odds of compliance increase. Here are some New Year’s... Continue
What a confusing winter. Once again, spring is coming fast and judging from the wildflowers springing up around our hillsides and Valley floors, might already be here. For Native peoples spring indicated a time for a change in diet. As food prices soar, it may... Continue
For years, the Red Grape has served great New Haven-style pizza and the best tomato soup in town, satisfying Sonomans and tourists at an affordable price. During a recent dinner at the Grape, I was stopped in my foodie tracks by a new menu addition:... Continue
You can’t miss it: a big yellow and white tent in the warehouse/office complex at the intersection of Petaluma Avenue and Riverside Drive. An arrow-shaped hand painted wooden sign hangs on a fence and points towards the tent with “open” painted in big black letters.... Continue
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who celebrate Valentine’s Day and plan to have a fancy dinner with their beloved and those who mutter “Hallmark Holiday” under their breath and are 8 out of 10 times single. All right, I... Continue