News of a life-and-death drama from the Glass Fire, an “incident-within-an-incident,” in CalFire jargon. Two firefighters working on an active portion of the fire in Napa County were suddenly overwhelmed by intense, wind-whipped flames, forcing them to take refuge in their fire shelters (special tents that offer protection by reflecting radiant heat and providing a volume of breathable air). Thankfully they were rescued by ground crews, and emerged uninjured. Several nearby support vehicles were damaged in the maelstrom.
When the smoke clears in Kenwood, the problem of VJB Cellars will still be there, as it has for years. The business has a bad habit of exceeding and ignoring its use permit. Kathy Pons, of the Valley of the Moon Alliance, says the original, 2007 permit allowed a tasting room and the sale of pre-packaged food. A commercial kitchen was not allowed, but VJB built one anyway, and continued to expand operations to the point of affecting neighborhood parking, traffic, roadway safety, and septic capacity. Called on the illegal additions, Von says, “VJB wants the County to accept its growth and unpermitted additions as ‘existing conditions.’” In January of 2017, VJB’s proposal was disapproved by the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission (SVCAC), which found that VJB’s use was already excessive. The County has postponed several hearing dates for VJB, and in the meantime it continues to function well beyond its use permit. “The delays have not interfered with VJB’s business; they continue operating without deadlines or penalties,” Pons says.
Continuing verbal fire is directed at Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group, a growing concern in the Sonoma Valley with a $100 million commercial portfolio owned by Ken and Stacy Mattson. Their most recent purchase of The Sonoma Cheese Shop rekindled protests from LGBTQI supporters regarding Stacy Mattson’s past, inflammatory statements. So critics, chief among them writer, advocate, and social media gadfly Sarah Stierch, were shocked to see in Modern Luxury Magazine the glossy feature on the Most Influential People in the Bay Area. Ranked number six, ahead of the San Francisco mayor, was Karin Rogers – Director of Business Operations for Sonoma’s Best Hospitality. “I am absolutely sickened that a magazine that boasts being a LGBTQI-ally business would do this,” Stierch posted… By the way, ranking number two (!) on the list of the Bay Area’s most influential was August Sebastiani, of Sonoma-based 3 Badge Beverage. Remember back in the day, when he was just a simple city councilmember?
One more fire analogy? Sure! Hot on the issue of dangerous working conditions at the High School stadium project is Stewart Saunders. He says the worksite demonstrates “a culture of negligence,” and has documented purported safety violations to the Occupational and Safety and Health Administration field inspector. The latest: though OSHA reports are confidential, Saunders said his contact is “writing up multiple violations and citations.”
– Val Robichaud, page3@sonomasun.com
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