County road repairs in 2024 do not include The Springs area

The list of road repairs planned by the County of Sonoma for this year is extensive, but none are included in the Boyes Hot Springs area of Sonoma Valley. The Sonoma County Department of Public Infrastructure has released two lists of roads that will be... Continue

Statuary to inspire

While most of it is long gone, a proliferation of beautiful statuary was harbored once at Sonoma's Plaza. For decades, the only 'resident' was Whatshisname-With-Flag-On-A-Rock marking the site where, in 1846, rag-tag (i.e., drunk) white settlers raised the Bear Flag in revolt against Mexico, establishing... Continue

Firmness and flexibility

A strong wind Bamboo deeply bends and sways. In shifting shadows A robin sits, Undisturbed. The blustery storm of world events - violence in the Middle East, political conflict, cultural change, and so on - often feels like too much. Admittedly, I ain’t no robin.... Continue

SDC Specific Plan set aside by Superior Court for CEQA violations

At the close of a court hearing on April 26, Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Bradford DeMeo ordered that the SDC Specific Plan and EIR approvals be set aside. In a Press Release, Local environmental groups Sonoma County Tomorrow and Sonoma Community Advocates for a... Continue

Trending profound

"Profound: 1. having or showing great knowledge and understanding; a profound thinker." In the wake of plagues, coups, wars and killer cops, readers may have noticed a sharp uptick in Profundity in newscasts & on social media. Apparently, that's because mass mediacasters (as well as... Continue

Higher garbage collection rates proposed for city residents

Garbage collection in the City of Sonoma is provided by the Sonoma Garbage Company, a private contractor which the city has used for many decades. The City of Sonoma is Sonoma Garbage Company's only client. A public hearing about a proposed increase in rates is... Continue

In the shadow of climate change, Earth Day still holds promise

By Caitlin Cornwall, Sonoma Ecology Center For this Earth Day week – and every day – we all need visions of where we’re going, ways to imagine the sustainable societies we’re trying to build. Let’s keep our spirits up by deeply enjoying the land and... Continue

Keeper of the lines

Why bother? I mean, really. They’re dead. Who cares about the past, and what difference does it make? However, there are occasions when we do something for its own sake, simply because it’s interesting or satisfying, or it feels worthwhile. For several years I’ve researched... Continue

Ideas for safer and more attractive streets, sidewalks, and paths underway

The Sonoma Active Transportation Plan is underway! Last fall, the Sonoma County Transit Authority (SCTA) collected over 100 ideas for sidewalk improvements, higher visibility crosswalks, and new bicycle paths. The City of Sonoma (City) is committed to fostering safer and more enticing environments for walking, biking, and utilizing... Continue

Forget about death

In contrast to most of human history, present day western culture does not like to think seriously about death. This is not to say we aren't fascinated by it; the proliferation of films, books and television programs dealing with serial killers, zombies, and the apocalypse... Continue