Preserving Democracy

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

Fire season is here

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

The theatre of life

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

Haven’t you heard? The war on pot is over

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

Sonoma’s Department of Parks and Recreation

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

Sonoma — The board game

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

Engaging local talent and expertise

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

Take a walk

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

Free Market hogwash

Elections have consequences, and the most recent election in Sonoma has resulted in a progressive City Council which, in turn, has appointed a more progressive Planning Commission. As a result, land speculators and commercial developers now find their plans more closely examined to ascertain if... Continue

The regional housing CASA Compact

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) recently announced the release of a regional Bay Area housing plan called the CASA Compact. CASA is a good faith attempt by a field of public-interest entities to address California's serious housing... Continue

Editorials