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
Editorials
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
Almost 12 years ago the first edition of the Sonoma Valley Sun appeared on the doorsteps of 10,000 households. The publisher of this free newspaper was local engineer Bill Hammett, a SVUSD trustee and member of the Charter School board. Why did Hammett start this... Continue
Alcohol deaths in America are at a new high; over 30,000 people died from liver disease or alcohol poisoning in 2014. When you add alcohol-related auto accidents, firearm deaths, and other violence, the toll rises to over 90,000 people. We live in wine country and enjoy the... Continue
We spend a lot of time and effort in Sonoma doing something we call "planning." The City of Sonoma has a "Planning Department" and a "Planning Director, a "Planning Commission" and a "General Plan." Planning sounds like a good idea. While none of us can... Continue
Like most of us we've been enjoying the spell of rain over the past few weeks. It's not yet the gully-washers predicted, but certainly is welcome. The fields and hills are turning green, and it's reassuring to head outside amid the puddles. It's going to... Continue
In 2013, a special election was held to determine the fate of Measure B. That initiative was placed on the ballot by citizens hoping to mitigate the downsides of tourism on our quality of life by limiting the creation of any new large hotels until... Continue
Despite the hand-wringing, pious statements, sympathy and woeful admissions that a lack of affordable housing is a serious problem, government - fulfilling Nixon's image of it as a "helpless, pitiful giant", is largely throwing its hands in the air while pleading poverty. The shame of... Continue
California is a long way from the chilly New England shore where the pilgrims landed. Living three thousand miles from Massachusetts and nearly 400 years after that continent-changing event, we can’t help but ponder the significance of the Thanksgiving celebration we Californians are heirs to.... Continue