The Sun’s Summer Reads

Jude Sales, manager of Sonoma’s one and only bookstore, the wonderful Readers’ Books, talks about her favorites for summer reading. Beach reads/fun reads/guilty pleasures: The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney An entertaining family story about the in-fighting that ensues when one brother has borrowed against... Continue

Bill Willers resigns from Sonoma Planning Commission

Bill Willers, longtime Sonoma Planning Commission member, tendered his resignation today in a letter to Mayor Hundley and the City Council. In it he explained the reasons for his resignation, saying, "...the current deliberation and directions taken by the City Council regarding the future appointment... Continue

Five years later: The deal that saved Jack London Park

Five years ago, Jack London State Historic Park was one of 70 state parks threatened with closure -- the state was strapped for cash, and the parks system was facing a $22 million deficit. But since then, when the nonprofit consortium Jack London Park Partners... Continue

Sonoma Valley death notices

Death notices Barbara Charlotte Arena, 93, of Sonoma, passed away May 15, 2017. Marcella Aslaksen, 94, of Sonoma, passed away May 27, 2017. Carol J. Beckley, 83, of Sonoma, passed away May 1, 2017. Mildred Ruth Ferrando, 88, of El Verano, passed away May 12,... Continue

Summer message from Mentoring Alliance

This is great time of year! We get to see our amazing Senior Mentees graduate high school and move onto their next chapter. We are so proud to have watched all of your grow with your Mentors through your years with the Mentoring Alliance. We... Continue

The keys to success

Recent high school graduate Belen Fonseca has a great incentive to get her driver’s license – a new car, donated by Dan Roseland of Sonoma Chevrolet. Roseland has carried on a Sonoma Valley High School tradition, providing a ‘new’ used car each year to the... Continue

Out of commission; new Broadway project; shameless gossip and more

Right now, here’s how a seat on one of Sonoma’s several commissions – Planning, for example, or Design Review – is filled: the mayor picks another councilmember to help out, interviews applicants and then names a choice. Traditionally, that pick is then ratified without debate... Continue

Sun In-Depth: Drowning in plastic

By Larry Barnett -- An ordinary trip to the grocery store quickly demonstrates that single-use plastic now dominates food packaging. It's all but impossible to avoid accumulating piles of plastic at home; from the plastic bags in cereal boxes to little boxes in which raspberries are... Continue

The usual garbage

The abundance of American wealth has fostered a wasteful society. Our throwaway culture and mindset has now spread globally; in a mere few hundred years, the human race has been transformed into Homo garbagicus, our waste and refuse spread from pole to pole. On the... Continue

Rain dampens Springs event

Looks like the thunderstorm last Sunday pretty much cancelled the Springs Festival we had been all looking forward to. The first half an hour before the rain looked promising, and it was so good to see friends and talk to people in the booths. Hope... Continue