Editorial: Street trees as urban gardens

Ample rain and warm temperatures have brought an early spring to our area. The trees are beginning to get green as this year's leaves emerge from hiding and we can already see evidence of wildflowers popping up along our urban sidewalks and meadows. If last... Continue

Sonoma Valley tap water ‘excellent quality’

The Sonoma Valley water supply has never been treated with chloramines, the lead-leaching agent causing widespread health problems in Flint, Michigan, said Public Works Director Dan Takasugi. “Neither the City nor the Sonoma County Water Agency use chloramine to treat City water,” Takasugi said. “Residents... Continue

Will Sonoma be part of the New Potconomy?

Though advocating for a robust local economy to meet rising costs, the City of Sonoma continues to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries, which in other cities are producing very large sales tax revenue. There is no medical marijuana dispensary in the City of Sonoma, but there's... Continue

A touch of Millennial Fever

Recently, after a particularly busy day at my hospital where it seemed as though nearly every patient had a rather dreadful diagnosis, I had a baffling interaction with a client towards the end of the afternoon. A lovely young 20-something was in the exam room... Continue

The Latino vote

By Mario Castillo Latino journalist Jorge Ramos’ book, “The Latino Wave,” refers to the role we Latinos will have in choosing the next president of the United States. The more I think about it, I’m afraid it’s only a nice, attention-grabbing title. The reality is... Continue

Incendiary projectiles… but what about the fireworks?

The project formerly known as “The Cloisters” – 32-room hotel, townhouses, restaurant, spa – has renamed itself the First Street East Project, and it’s probably a good thing. Back in the day, or rather, the millennia, the Latin word ‘Cloisters’ referred to an area within a... Continue

Life’s a teeter totter

Everyone seems to have ups and downs these days. Some people I talk to are on the upswing, money in hand, traveling for fun, falling in love again at 75. For others, it’s a downer. Ailments, money issues challenged with financial fear, relocation or trumped... Continue

Building a sustainable community

I would suggest extracting more from tourists because of the desirability of visiting Sonoma by people from all over the world if the additional revenue would go directly to moderate and subsidized housing. A community built on the well being of the few is not... Continue

On creating affordable housing

Simple things like raising the TOT slightly (and not just for the city, but the whole county) and ear marking a percentage to go to a housing fund can work. Also make the housing fund dual purpose, don’t just build, but subsidize, so that money... Continue

Street trees as urban gardens