Capitalism’s failure: homelessness

The essence of capitalism is the accumulation of profits and assets. This accumulation is enabled by the exploitation of labor, which is to say the skimming off of the excess value of productivity, the value above that required to sustain workers. That accumulation, in turn,... Continue

What is historic?

According to the office of California's Secretary of State, in order to be declared historic a property or structure must satisfy a set of specific criteria. These criteria cover such matters as building design and construction, materials, scale, use, and occupants. When it comes to... Continue

2020 hindsight

The impact of past decisions is frequently revealed by events in the present; mistakes and miscalculations often require time to "ripen." When this happens, we suddenly discover how wrong we were and, if possible, try to repair the situation. Although there are those who see... Continue

Guest editorial: Our local citizenship assistance program

Please help get the word out about a citizenship assistance program available here in Sonoma Valley to help qualified lawful permanent residents (green card holders) become naturalized U.S. citizens. Sonoma Immigration Services offers multi-level citizenship classes which help prepare students with the English language skills and U.S. civics, history, and... Continue

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? VIRGINIA O’HANLON 115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET... Continue

News, gossip, and bullshit

It's not easy knowing what to believe in this "post truth" era. Between news, gossip, and just plain bullshit circulating on mainstream and social media, learning the truth has become a scavenger hunt. News, seemingly once reliable, has become suspect. The rise of propaganda machines... Continue

Fires and power shutdowns: what have we learned?

That PG&E is ill-prepared to cope with periods of hot, windy weather is now painfully obvious. That the utility has spent its profits on shareholder dividends and executive bonuses, instead of upgrading and improving the safety of its infrastructure, is shameful. And its reliance on... Continue

Aliases and alter-egos running amok

With the popularity of the Internet came the rise of the use of aliases, and anonymous attacks using online comment systems and other social media platforms have become commonplace, even in Sonoma. It is understandable that people would take advantage of aliases to advance a... Continue

Homeless in Sonoma

Sonoma is a lovely little town that attracts visitors from around the world. They come here to enjoy our fine weather, pleasant parks, excellent wine, good food, and friendly atmosphere. Residents enjoy the very same things, and these residents include the homeless. It may be... Continue

A shameful City audit

The recently released audit of the City of Sonoma by the auditing firm of Richardson & Co. is nothing the City should be proud of. Its conclusions were that financial activity, procedures, and transactions during the 2016-2017 fiscal year were improper, inadequate and, in the... Continue

Editorials