Being single in Sonoma on Valentine’s Day, to put it bluntly, sucks. I miss conversations under my half of the electric blanket with a partner at the end of the day. I yearn to plan trips with a special someone. Still, I can’t imagine another... Continue
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Sonoma may be criticized for plenty of things, although none come to mind, however, there is one thing we do better than any other city on the planet – we know how to throw a party. Unfortunately, history tells us that this was not always... Continue
Among the plants in my greenhouse are many in the Gasteria family, a type sometimes called "Cow's Tongue" due to their thick stems, lack of leaves and dappled surface coloration. Many Gasterias display varying patterns of white spots on green backgrounds, which vary from species... Continue
To uncivilized people the whims of nature surely seemed capricious; their search for meaning behind devastating winds or a great flood gave rise to tales of gods, magic and otherworldly realms beyond the powers of direct human observation. Seasonal cycles, animal migrations, phases of the... Continue
The Valley saw some startling armed robberies and rip-offs over the holidays, suggesting that adding more police with tanks and bazookas isn’t working. Maybe we need a better class of criminals. Police blotters currently reflect the sad state of local thuggery. Despite being a ritzy-snooty... Continue
President Obama released the White House budget plan for 2015 this week, and even thought it is widely considered ‘Dead on Arrival’ in Washington-speak, he has set the predicate for the 2016 presidential election. It is encouraging that the progressive wing of the Democratic Party,... Continue
This is the transcript of Susan Gorin’s “State of the County” address delivered January 22. Each year, we gather at the State of the County to celebrate our successes, highlight our challenges, and provide a vision for where we are going. This year, our theme... Continue
Happy 2015! If you have already made those ever-challenging New Year’s resolutions, you may want to add a few more. Sometimes resolutions can be hard to keep. But when money is at stake, I bet the odds of compliance increase. Here are some New Year’s... Continue
What a confusing winter. Once again, spring is coming fast and judging from the wildflowers springing up around our hillsides and Valley floors, might already be here. For Native peoples spring indicated a time for a change in diet. As food prices soar, it may... Continue
Recent polls indicate that America's favorite sport is now football instead of baseball. It's not hard to see a connection between this trend and the changed nature of American life in the 21st century. Baseball, of course, is a 19th century game, developed during slower... Continue