No one should presume to offer advice to financially savvy, highly successful, wheeling-and-dealing developer/investors, particularly without being generously compensated. But after an entertaining Planning Commission study session regarding the re-titled FSE Project (formerly, The Cloisters), having witnessed such entertainment in the past, and with more... Continue
Columnist
Your servant Alex Águilar is very pleased to be back again after a few months’ absence. This time I’m addressing a topic which is a bit controversial, the wages paid to the Hispanic people – hard-working, responsible and above all, full of dreams and aspirations.... Continue
The Vintage House is sponsoring an eight-week series (through February 25) entitled “Diminished Democracy,” presented by lecturer David Peritz, visiting professor at Sarah Lawrence College. He offers a political science scholar’s perspective on the history and deep themes in American political life. His academic even-handedness... Continue
I honestly cannot recall a time in my 67-year-old life when America seemed more disjointed. Sure, the Vietnam era was one heckava mess, and the civil rights era was pretty messy too. But from the standpoint of governance, there was the presumption that politics was... Continue
For three years I have listened carefully to the residents in the Valley impacted by vacation rentals, and employers and employees seeking housing. I've sought the advice of responsible individual and professional vacation rental property owners. I’ve spoken with people from all sides of this... Continue
Memo to tourists and 2nd-home week-enders: If you aspire to pass as a card-carrying Local in wine country, you’ll need to become familiar with the ins & outs, hints, notes and nuances – the je ne sais quoi -- of wine & food pairings. [The... Continue
In a cringe-worthy 4-1 decision (Susan Gorin dissenting) rejecting 14 months of public input and recommendations of the County Planning Commission, Sonoma County's Board of Supervisors has betrayed the public it serves in favor of chump change from tourists looking for a place to party... Continue
“Service without humility is egoism.” -Gandhi I keep the best moments of the year present in my heart… and I am grateful for each one, and for those who have carried on at my side despite adversity. Some projects will continue, others will certainly appear, but... Continue
We live in wondrous, terrible times. In every field of human endeavor we are exceeding ourselves, almost daily. Our tallest buildings are getting taller, our fastest computers are getting faster; gas-powered autos are giving way to electric vehicles, natural evolution is being supplanted by gene-editing.... Continue
I have an emotional hairball at the turn of this New Year. From holiday frenzy to taxes, trying to budget my money makes no cents. I am spent! Or, maybe I’ve spent too much on silly baubles during the holidays. Sweating tax season makes me... Continue