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.

Floitin’ with Fascism

I know it sounds like the title of a 1940’s one-reel 3-Stooges movie, but America’s flirtation with Fascism ain’t no slapstick comedy. At the mention of Fascism nowadays, most people flash on Hitler and Swastikas and concentration camps, which is too bad, because Fascism is... Continue

A big year for paving in the First District

In my ten years as First District Supervisor I have never, until this year, received so much positive feedback and appreciation from the community on our Sonoma County roads. I’ve received notes from folks driving on Lawndale, Kenilworth, Dunbar, and many more, reaching out with... Continue

The elections are over… now what?

Elections are over and newly elected Sonoma City Council members will soon be taking their seats on the dais. Current Councilmembers Sandra Lowe and Mayor Jack Ding will surely appreciate fresh help in addressing the City's many challenges, opportunities and "Who put this crap on... Continue

The persistence of self

I ran into an old friend at the market the other day, and when I asked him how he’s doing, he replied, “Still an asshole, and you?” We both laughed. We had a nice chat and after he departed I began to think about the... Continue

Collecting weird words like bubble gum cards

Chapter 43: Late 1940s • Sonora ~ Lorna Harrington, Betty’s best friend since kindergarten, was unusually shy. My sister took her under her wing, and as birds-of-a-feather they flew everywhere together. Betty saw no reason why she and Lorna shouldn’t participate in all school activities. In... Continue

Should the Springs become part of Sonoma?

This is from the book, A Tale of Two Valleys by Alan Deutschman, published in 2003. “Beyond the working-class haven of the west side came the Springs, which were once known for their natural hot-springs resorts for day-tripping city folks. Long ago the waters dried... Continue

Survival of the adaptablist

Yes, I know adaptablist is not a real word, that is to say, one you’ll find in the dictionary. However, it is an excellent analogy about the truth of survival; in Darwinian terms, the most adaptable are the fittest. Like the adaptability of language, the... Continue

Dating, death, and politics

I met Walt in the weirdest way – you know, the way life is sometimes. I was on a dating site and hating it. Walt was into it, full throttle, driving all the way from Walnut Creek. We went out several times, always with chatter about the... Continue

A smart, low-drama guy

The marquee political race in the regional 2022 midterm election is for the 12th State Assembly District. This is a newly redrawn district, which includes all of Marin County and the southern half of Sonoma County, including Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and the southern half of... Continue

Does the universe have a purpose?

Aristotle thought so, and his ideas dominated for many thousands of years. Both living and non-living matter, he believed, were purpose-driven, carried forth by an initiating force towards a goal in a process he named Telos, what we today call teleology. Living things, certainly, demonstrate... Continue

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