Building a big business requires venture capital, an infusion of wealth that is used to fund a business while it grows. Unlike loans, venture capital is an investment and its payoff is usually in the form of dividends or shares of stock that can be... Continue
Editorials
Solving the housing problem – too little housing for lower-income residents – requires solving the parking problem – too much real estate devoted to the automobile. The single-family home has a long tradition in America, and as suburbs and commuting established themselves as dominant development... Continue
Democracy is under assault all over the globe, suffering at the hands of a combination of authoritarian, nativist, and fundamentalist movements. In some cases these movements are a reaction to the historical excesses of capitalism, an economic system often allied with democracy and its emphasis... Continue
It’s all too easy to become complacent, and the early high temperatures and smoke from regional fires filling the valley on the first red flag warning day were a needed reminder. Fire preparedness comes to mind: reducing flammables on your property and organizing your resources for evacuation... Continue
We're far from the first to note that "all the world's a stage," but we can't resist bringing attention to the present convergence of social media with entertainment. It seems as if everyone's attention is glued to their smartphones lately; we've often watched couples sitting... Continue
The use of cannabis – pot, weed, Mary Jane, reefer, or whatever you want to call it – is now legal in California, but here in Sonoma the effort to allow a cannabis dispensary is still a battle. Though 64 percent of Sonoma's citizens voted... Continue
First of all, there isn't one. Though it's been talked about for years, the City of Sonoma still has no Parks and Rec Department and relies instead on various nonprofits to offer public programs. The city contributes considerable? funding to the Boys and Girls Club,... Continue
Properties in the City of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley are being bought, sold, and accumulated in unprecedented ways. Recent reports of one couple spending 80 million dollars accumulating 22 properties is a current example, and this follows on the heels of another developer's acquisition and... Continue
The problems facing our community are significant. Regrettably, government is constantly short of funds for activities such as basic maintenance let alone ambitious projects geared to the future, such as improving infrastructure. Since the passage of Proposition 13, the ability to raise taxes or impose... Continue
To say we are a car culture is an understatement; we use our cars so frequently that many people walk less than half a mile each day. Our lack of exercise is so pronounced, even among the young, that obesity rates, type two diabetes, high... Continue