Public Citizen

Larry Barnett lives in Sonoma where he was elected to three terms on the City Council and served twice as Mayor. A thirty-five-year resident, he currently serves on Sonoma's Planning Commission, where he recently was Chair for two years. Until her passing, he was married to his wife Norma for 50 years, has two daughters and three grandchildren.

The opposite of woke

The word “woke” is getting lots of airtime these days. The GOP uses it derisively as an insult, indicating that woke is synonymous with leftist attitudes and beliefs about family, religion, patriotism, gender, and politics. In other words, that woke means liberal, and liberal means... Continue

Dharma Barbie

While headed to our town’s historic one-screen movie house the Sebastiani Theatre to see Barbie, in walking meditation I purposefully inhabited the mystery of multiple selves: my biological self whose feet touch the ground, my imaginary self as an idea, and my quantum self as... Continue

Lies in all sizes

We like to think we know a lie from the truth, or think there is a gray area where we just can’t make a judgment. Sometimes we tell little lies, to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or just to get out of something. These little lies... Continue

Enough?

In a recent essay about how consumerism is ecocide, I introduced the topic of “enough,” that unless humanity can stem its seemingly insatiable desire for more, we’re doomed. In response, a reader asked me to explore “enough,” what it is, who gets it, and who... Continue

The latest from County Supervisor Gorin

Here’s an update on several topics of interest to residents of the First District. Broadband Progress – The Board of Supervisors has approved an agreement between the County and Golden State Connect Authority on expanding broadband internet infrastructure, as well as $1.5 million in American... Continue

Re-prioritizing the arts in Sonoma Valley schools

The public education system in the Golden State of California used to be legendary, a creative mecca in the 1950s-70s. In developing the world’s top creative economy, California was envied for Educational R&D. It prioritized students’ critical thinking skills and creativity, improved instructional methods for... Continue

What’s the plan behind the big buying spree?

Many years ago when we first moved to the Springs, I was out for a walk. I saw this bumper sticker: “Militant agnostic, I don’t know and neither do you.” The car and the agnostic are long gone, yet the line stays with me. My... Continue

Holy cards, hell, and high water…

Chapter 59: Summer 1949 • Sonora, California ~ Coming out of the Sonora Library (the library and the church tied for first place as Claudia’s second home), one of the nuns recognized Claudia and stopped her and to pat her seven-year-old head. “What a pious child... Continue

An ugly cost of green energy

As per usual, we’re rushing into adopting new technologies without considering the true costs or ramifications. The explicit order, that which is intended and achieved, masks the presence of the implicit order, that which is unintended and remains hidden for a while. In the case... Continue

This is so awkward

It’s not easy to maneuver relationships, let’s face it. It’s scary to talk about what’s bugging us, even embarrassing sometimes. Whether family, friendships or partnerships, we are re-learning how we “attach” or “disengage.” At least some of us are. Relationships are delicate, “a thing,” an... Continue

Columnist