So, County Sheriff Mark Essick gets to decide which regulations (laws) and directives he wants to enforce or not. This is precisely what his very public defiance (Facebook posting) of County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase’s public health order is. All Sheriff’s Essick’s protestations about being “bullied” and not a... Continue
The beavers along parts of Sonoma’s Fryer Creek just got a bit of a makeover, courtesy of the Sonoma County Water Agency. Nature's natural engineers, the beavers built two dams on the creek tributary that are so effective at holding water that the water agency... Continue
The Sonoma County District Attorney’s office has gone on record as opposing Sheriff Mark Essick’s plan to stop enforcement of the health department’s Covid-19 rules. “The Sheriff and I both know our role is not to make policy but to enforce the rules,” said Chief... Continue
Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick has reaffirmed his order that his officers, including the Sonoma Police Department, stop enforcing the County’s public health order regarding Covid-19. The rules place undue restrictions “on our freedoms,” he said in an open letter posted Thursday on the department’s... Continue
Beginning Monday, June 1, the Sonoma library will offer six-day-a-week curbside pickup for books, DVDs, CDs and other library materials. The partial re-open applies to all five county library locations. “We are thrilled to be able to circulate library materials again,” said Sonoma County Library... Continue
In response to Sheriff Mark Essick's refusal to enforce the County's Covid-19 rules, Board of Supervisors Chair Susan Gorin posted this comment at 9:54 p.m. on May 29: "It is with disappointment that the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors found out today about the Sheriff's... Continue
Recognize this scene? The answer is in today's issue of The Sonoma Valley Sun, on the streets now. Look for us at newsracks in front of the Sonoma, El Verano and Springs post offices; Broadway Market; on the Plaza by Sebastiani Theatre and the old... Continue
By Leslie Nicholson With grocery shopping being one of the few “outings” for most people in these days of shutdown, local grocers are carefully balancing the need for their customers to be confident that stores are safe and sanitary, while maintaining a friendly atmosphere. No... Continue
People don't change long-standing habits easily; where we shop, what we eat, how we speak, ways we dress, and so forth, become firmly established within the on-going conduct of our lives. Even when we learn that our behavior has a negative effect on society, the... Continue
Gambling and religion are traditionally considered as something opposite, something you won’t dare to mention in one sentence. However, even though never associated with each other and definitely on the other sides of the moral fence, religion and gambling have a lot more in common... Continue