Our October 3 cover caption, "Sonoma Valley Ununified School District," was a sadly accurate commentary on the current state of affairs in our Valley’s educational leadership. The recent chaotic Town Hall meetings, held by Superintendent Rodriguez-Chien to address school “consolidation,” revealed anger and frustration that... Continue
Editorials
Our national election in November is perhaps the most consequential of our lifetimes, and we can’t ignore it. If the GOP succeeds in taking the White House and both houses of congress, if Project 2025 gains a foothold and gets implemented, life in American will... Continue
On September 10 the Sonoma Valley Unified School District sent out a press release called an "update on negotiations" with the teachers union. The nearly two-page detailed report is effectively a description of a District in crisis. Briefly, there are several aspects to this. The... Continue
Sonoma County and every local jurisdiction in the State of California finds itself in a peculiar situation. At the same time this typically “Blue” state is focused on thwarting the effort of the GOP to implement its autocratic Project 2025 plan, Sacramento has relentlessly pursued... Continue
The campus of the Sonoma Developmental Center is a unique and, we believe, historic resource. And yet, it’s being sold like a common spec plot to development interests who plan to demolish most of the structures that define the place, that give it character and... Continue
Here at the Sonoma Valley Sun newspaper we receive all sorts of comments about the articles we publish online. Most are thoughtful, well-written and respectful, but others are not. The latter follow a simple formula: rants filled with complaint, ridicule, name-calling, bigotry, ugliness and threats.... Continue
Things are pretty crazy in America right now. Talk of civil war is bubbling up on the internet, the upcoming election feels daunting, and democracy itself seems to be fraying not only at the edges but squarely at the middle. Congress, particularly the House of... Continue
People have lived here for a very long time. Western and Asian cultures are recent arrivals; for countless centuries America’s indigenous tribes enjoyed this rich and verdant territory. From Anishinaabe, Pomo, and Algonquin tribes to Ohlones and Coast Miwoks, for at least 10,000 years people... Continue
Small town newspapers are failing all across America. The proliferation of online media has irrevocably altered the newspaper business, resulting in failure of small publications and accelerated industry consolidation into the hands of national and multi-national corporations. Nonetheless, we at the Sonoma Valley Sun newspaper... Continue
We are pleased to announce that the Sonoma Valley Sun will continue to be published and printed twice monthly, beginning June 1, 2024. With the love and support of Val Robichaud’s family, we have reorganized the business under new ownership; two Sun newspaper veterans each... Continue