Reflections on the Commons

April 15, 2015

For a species whose prime adaptation is cooperation, the Commons -- lands and resources owned and shared by all -- have always represented the ground on which society as a whole can rely. From our trajectory as hunter-gatherers to pastoralists, agriculturalists and finally to our... Continue

Whither SDC?

April 6, 2015

In a public meeting about the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center, it seemed clear to the hundreds present, including elected state and county officials, that SDC’s closure would be a tragic political failure. Bills have been introduced in the legislature that would close it... Continue

Film in the age of Global Harming

March 20, 2015

The creativity in this year’s Film Festival is a welcome respite from Hollywood’s adolescent fantasmagorical Doomsday epics, whose stars are computer-generated creatures and other special effects, with only cameo appearances by real persons, particularly real persons with cleavage. Packed with apocalyptic destruction, such films are... Continue

Editorial: A wage we can live with   

March 4, 2015

The Sonoma County Living Wage Coalition, a group of labor, environmental, political and religious organizations, has asked the County Board of Supervisors to pass a county Living Wage ordinance. Among other things, it would require certain for-profit businesses doing work for the county to pay... Continue

Mobilizing the feminine principle

February 10, 2015

Our local leadership has clearly tilted towards the feminine, with capable and talented women now at the helm of local political offices in both the County and City of Sonoma. Moreover, a look at our local non-profits reveals a cast of women in leadership, helping... Continue

Goals and good intentions

January 23, 2015

At the end of 2013, Sonoma City Council took another stab at setting goals for itself. The 2014/2015 goals can be found on the City’s website, and we encourage you to take a look. Whether we agree with the goals or not, Council’s purpose in... Continue

Creating affordable workforce housing

January 7, 2015

The demise of Sonoma's Redevelopment Agency has effectively ended its creation of significant workforce housing, housing that's affordable to the people who work here in the many service jobs in the hospitality and restaurant businesses -- housekeepers, wait-staff, kitchen workers, janitors and maintenance. Redevelopment agencies... Continue

Our Sonoma Valley family

December 19, 2014

Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are typically times when families celebrate together. Big meals are cooked and eaten, stories and gifts exchanged, photo albums hauled out and both naps and chaos reign. In the "Norman Rockwell" image of the holidays Mom proudly cooks a big... Continue

Searching for community

November 17, 2014

The word community used pretty freely. We talk about the business community, or the gay community, or the Latino community and so on. It seems we can throw the term community after almost any group and thereby unite or encapsulate any bevy of humans with... Continue

As goes water, so goes Sonoma Valley

October 31, 2014

SUN EDITORIAL Once famous for its precious metals, it's now water that's precious here in California. Our northern region was so water rich Southern California became America's food basket, the California water aqueduct system moving millions of gallons of Northern water south and huge pumps... Continue

Editorials