It's easy to let likes and dislikes dictate how we make choices, and when it's merely personal, that's no big thing. When personal likes and dislikes drive decision-making by public bodies, however, it is a problem, and it is precisely for this reason Sonoma's General... Continue

We in Sonoma enjoy a particular status as the location of the most northward of the Missions, and notably, the birthplace of the State of California. At the very center of the City of Sonoma, the Sonoma Barracks, now a State Park, provides constant testimony... Continue

After 14 months of public participation and a set of recommendations by its own Planning Commission, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors elected to disregard all that and go its own way on regulating vacation rentals. The 4-1 vote, Susan Gorin dissenting, now sets the... Continue

Having a community pool is a good idea. It's so good, in fact, that we've got a number of them. The Sonoma Aquatic Center, for example, has a collection of pools for community use, both indoor and outdoor. And if you are a member of... Continue

Sonoma County's proposed 2106 budget is $1.4 billion, the City of Sonoma's $31.6 million. Revenues from Tourism are at an all-time high. In 2014, our regional wine industry was estimated to generate $13.4 billion in economic impacts. Having recovered from the housing price slump, the... Continue

It seems like everyone is invoking "community" nowadays. Government speaks of "engaging the community,” developers and nonprofits talk about "community outreach,. We hear about things like the "community pool" and even our Sonoma Valley Sun tag line includes the word "community." This prompts the question:... Continue