Sonoma activist is County ‘Environmentalist of the Year’

The Sonoma County Conservation Council has named Teri Shore, North Bay Regional Director of Greenbelt Alliance, as its Environmentalist of the Year. Shore is being recognized for leading the campaign for Community Separators, which won protection of over 53,000 acres from sprawl for the next... Continue

Chapter 2: Sabbatical

Somewhere near downtown Sonoma, a set of false teeth hides a clue to the unsolved mystery of "The Green Tara" – a famous emerald necklace, now missing. When a forgery is discovered, a beleaguered Sonoma mother-of-five enlists the help of an eccentric starlet, a washed... Continue

Sun In-Depth: Gambling, manufactured experience and affective capitalism

By Larry Barnett -- The human experience of the natural world begins at birth. As infants we begin to explore the world with our senses, establishing embodied experience between objects, feelings, and the world. By the time we are toddlers and begin to walk, we have... Continue

Hospital is again ‘crying wolf’

Some thoughts on the hospital parcel tax. First, since the current tax of $195 expires June 30, 2017, this is not an increase of $55. This is a new parcel tax of $250. The consultants must have told them that saying it was “only” a... Continue

Still time to register for Measure E vote

The last day to register to vote in the upcoming election is May 22. On the June 6 ballot is Measure E, with which the Sonoma Valley Healthcare District seeks a five-year extension of the parcel tax, at $250 a year – a $55 increase.... Continue

Sonoma Valley: Heaven or Hell?

Perhaps it's a false dichotomy, this notion of Sonoma Valley as either Heaven or Hell, but Americans, after all, gravitate towards dichotomies: winners and losers, good and evil, villains and heroes, beauty and ugliness. Here in Sonoma Valley, however, the dichotomy is real, as clearly... Continue

Under the Sun: Cynthia Tarr — singer, teacher, music director

What brought you to Sonoma, Cynthia? I lived in Los Angeles in the early 80s. I wanted to be an actor or singer! I worked in clubs for quite a while, but it's actually hard to make a living that way. Things got tougher during... Continue

Guest opinion: Use hotel tax money to fix our roads

By Craig S. Harrison and Michael Troy, SOSroads.org -- Last November Save Our Sonoma Roads supported Measure L, which increased the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) in unincorporated Sonoma County from 9 percent to 12 percent. It is estimated to increase annual revenue by $5 million. The... Continue

Doctor recommended

I am a physician who has worked at Sonoma Valley Hospital for years in the past. During my career I have worked at many other hospitals. In my opinion the level of care that our hospital provides is as good or better than any other... Continue

Adopting an artwork

Proceeds from the sale of works of a gallery show at Sonoma Arts Guild are presented to Nancy King, center, of Pets Lifeline, by the Guild’s Jackie Lee, at left, and Gail Duffley. The exhibition featured 50 animal portraits painted by fifth-through-eighth grade students at... Continue