On the Fourth of July, Sonoma joined the rest of America celebrating the Declaration of Independence, and, by extension, Democracy. We had our traditional and charming small town parade, and friends and family will gather to picnic, barbecue, and enjoy the benefits of freedom. But... Continue
Editorials
Business-as-usual practices in housing construction, land and water use, as well as how we define community and what we are working for together, requires fundamental reevaluation as we seek to adapt to the serious challenges created by rapid population growth and human-caused climate change. Here... Continue
For the past decade the leadership of the City of Sonoma has been living in the land of make believe, largely ignoring the inevitable financial abyss at its feet and pretending that its fairytale will have a happy ending. It's not that there aren't many... Continue
The City of Sonoma has a challenging problem; specifically, the city's population is technically about 10,000 citizens, but its influence extends all the way from Kenwood to Schellville. And the same problem exists in reverse; Sonoma Valley residents from Kenwood to Schellville feel they have... Continue
The most essential biological difference between men and women is the womb, and the harboring of life that a womb provides. For most of human history, creating a new life was a mystery; the role of men in fertilizing an egg was misunderstood for a... Continue
Sonoma Valley Hospital lost no time in adding “An affiliate of UCSF Health” to its logo, and why not? This new relationship is something to be proud of. And it is worth noting that ours is the first small independent hospital with whom the prestigious... Continue
The streets surrounding Sonoma Plaza have long functioned like alleyways in a parking lot, but that "parking lot" is now woefully insufficient. Despite this, developers keep bringing forth plans that will make matters worse, driving downtown visitors and business employees ever deeper into the residential... Continue
Several public comments made recently at Planning Commission and City Council meetings, brought our attention to the fact that not everyone understands appeal hearings and their role in the due process of law. The City Council is the only elected body in the City of... Continue
It's said there are two elements of law, the letter of the law and its spirit. The letter of the law refers to the specific meaning of the words used and how to apply them. The spirit of the law refers to law's original intent,... Continue
When asked about the unavailability of City Council minutes a month or so ago, it was surprising to hear City Manager Cathy Capriola report that the city was more than six months behind in posting meeting minutes, and had hired a private contractor at $125... Continue