When it comes to the imagination, cities are almost magical and their names often evoke visions of romance, beauty, and intrigue. Venice, for example, the Italian city reclaimed from a vast swamp, engenders images of gondolas slowly gliding through bridge-covered canals, costumed gondoliers singing opera... Continue

Concerns about the needs of our area’s young people get considerable attention. Schooling, recreation, and social activities all seem to leap to the forefront when problems arise, but otherwise the youth in our community are largely seen but not heard. It needn’t be this way.... Continue

During the night a few weeks ago in Sonoma, someone with an ice pick punctured car tires up and down Andrieux and Bettencourt Streets, a senseless act of vandalism that cost many people precious time and money. Recently, an elderly resident tripped and fell on... Continue

This November, three seats will be up for election for Sonoma’s City Council, those of Madolyn Agrimonti, Kelso Barnett, and Robert Felder. Barnett and Felder are council appointees filling remaining terms created by previous council member resignations. Agrimonti has already indicated she intends to run... Continue

As we celebrate the Fourth of July this year, we do so while legislative hearings in Washington, D.C. about Trump’s attempt to stage a coup and invalidate the presidential election are taking place. It’s a sobering moment, one that shows just how close America came... Continue

With all the problems facing our world – climate change, over-population, pandemic disease, political extremism, and the like – we’d think that love, at least, would be appreciated in all its forms. Unfortunately, intolerance and bigotry are still widespread, and in some places, growing.  Fortunately,... Continue

Goodness knows these past few years have been trying. We all feel the stress and pressure, and although life appears to be closer to normal, challenges remain.  At the beginning of the month, firefighters in Napa were confronted by a blaze, dubbed “The Old Fire,”... Continue

Despite a booming economy, real wage growth, historically low unemployment, and the proliferation of mega-billionaires, government never seems to have enough money. Be it our county or local jurisdictions, if not for federal assistance and PG&E settlements, government financial resources are flat at best. The... Continue