Why I boycott Mattson

I have always held the belief that people should be educated and informed on topics as much as possible in order to make a decision that works for them. It is especially true in these challenging times when there is so much information out there... Continue

Respond and react

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has been sued (again) for police brutality but demands the case be thrown out because the victim -- rousted from his legally parked car, in Windsor -- was “slow to respond” to commands to exit the vehicle. The incident occurred... Continue

Sonoma County passes layoff-free annual budget

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $1.9 billion budget for 2020-21 it says avoids layoffs while making investments in critical areas such as fire recovery, permanent supportive housing, COVID-19 response, and mental health and homeless services. The Board was faced with a... Continue

Rolling the dice

Lately, life is like a monopoly game. Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. We’re either on lock down or looking for money. Searching for Park Place, stuck on Baltic. I gobble treats and carbs at midnight to quiet... Continue

Cheese Factory joins burgeoning Mattson empire

The Sonoma Cheese Factory is open for the first time in years under new owners Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group, a consortium owned by Ken and Stacy Mattson that includes Sonoma Valley properties valued at $100 million or more. The Mattsons reportedly paid $3.75 million to... Continue

Distance learning isn’t perfect – but it’s working

When the pandemic flipped the education system upside down six months ago, people had concerns about how kids would finish the year. Here we are in a new school year and still dealing with Covid-19. At the start of the spring shutdown, the district rushed... Continue

Art house

Bryana Fleming is no ordinary house painter – she rendered this colorful mural on the side of a home on Lucas Avenue near Riverside Drive. An accomplished artist and muralist, Fleming was commissioned by Tim and Dana Taylor, who “wanted something light and positive and... Continue

The year of virtual engagement

There is no doubt that 2020 will be remembered for many things, but perhaps one of the most surprising and optimistic is the year of virtual engagement in the physical world. By necessity, we are all – teachers and CEOS, doctors and elementary school students,... Continue

Sonoma’s new empire builders hold objectionable views

Sonoma's Best Hospitality Group, a.k.a Ken and Stacey Mattson, have purchased yet another prominent property in our community, the iconic Sonoma Cheese Factory. A single entity buying up over 100 million dollars of Sonoma Valley properties is a big deal. What we know about the... Continue

Sonoma Valley school notes

Altimira Middle School Vice Principal Aaron Gildengorin and Principal Chrissy Waters get ready for the distribution of school supply kits. The district-wide program, created in partnership with The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, and La Luz, gives every student a free... Continue