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.

Ufology

I loved science fiction movies and books as a kid; I still do, although I don’t read much sci-fi these days. In 1958, at camp Androscoggin in Maine, Earth vs. Flying Saucers was shown one movie night, and visions of a disabled saucer crashing into... Continue

You should know how to recycle by now

Why is it so hard to recycle? Why is it so hard to rinse cans and bottles and place them in the recycling cart for Recology? Recology makes it easy. At our house we have a container with a lid that we can put all... Continue

New directions for Health Action Sonoma County

The last two years have demonstrated the overwhelming disparities in health outcomes in our county, with the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on our Latinx and BIPOC community. The pandemic exposed the interconnectivity of our health, living conditions, income, work environments – the social determinants of... Continue

The Universe of Yes

We live in an affirmative universe, the Universe of Yes. The presence of matter is itself evidence, as are all the other forces and fields we’ve discovered. The universe only says “yes,” even to our ability to say “no.” It doesn’t get more affirmative than... Continue

Comedy or not?

Ok, I get it. The news is probably full of the next battle after the Oscars slap. It’s old news by now. But, I'm a 60s boomer waiting for the peace we preached and protested for, and nowadays all I see is fighting. It’s just... Continue

If you paint it, will they come?

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m an avid walker. I cross Broadway every day, sometimes several times as I go about my errands and appointments. Being a pedestrian crossing Broadway is not a casual event; I make eye contact with drivers to make sure... Continue

Today we heard President Truman’s speech

Chapter 31: 1947 • Sonora ~ continuation of my brother’s diary 1947 • Larry’s Diary (age 13) Mar 1 I bought boy scout whistle card and slide. Got radio into my room. Bought new kite and put it together. Got a new lock for door.... Continue

Blue morning

Opinion by Stephanie Hiller -- Economist Jayatri Ghosh has said that countries in the developing world, many of them with large populations like Indonesia, Brazil, and India, do not support the sanctions against Russia because they are not impressed with the behavior of the Western... Continue

Kabul Valley Unified School District

Parents in Sonoma Valley can relax: There is NO truth to rumors that school trustees are heading to Afghanistan to learn how to run a decent school district. At least it wasn't mentioned in the superintendent's recent letter to parents, sent after yet another wave... Continue

Yes to the museum workers union

There’s no doubt about it: we are in a union boom right now. This boom is being driven primarily by Millennials who are keenly aware that they missed out on the brief window of the great bonanza of post-war prosperity. A new wave of youthful... Continue

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