That’s what the Democratic Congressional committee chairs used to say about legislation the Bush administration submitted, and that was the message from the local chapter of the teachers union to the school board at its special meeting Tuesday night. At issue was the money the... Continue

We don’t often give over our space to guest editorials, but this message from a government official is a timely call for public imput on important decisions. Are all school ‘stakeholders’ equal? A school district’s #1 mission is a simple one: educate the kids. When... Continue

We’ve been looking forward to this long weekend, thanks to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day both falling on weekdays this year. Say, why not have Christmas on workdays every year? The feds moved Abe’s and George’s birthdays (does that make them twins?), so why not... Continue

We felt like kids sitting on Santa’s lap at the parent meeting Monday evening at the high school, with a former superintendent from another district unwittingly playing the role of Santa. She asked us what we wanted in a new principal at Sonoma Valley High... Continue

The story is told of two friends, one of whom says, “I’d like to ask God why he allows poverty, hunger and injustice when he could do something about it.” To which the other responds, “Me, too, but I’m afraid God might ask me the same... Continue

Thank you, readers. Many of you will recall The Mamas and The Papas song from the ‘60s. They were singing about Mondays, of course, but their phrasing came to mind as we processed your lovely comments about getting last week’s Sun on Thursday, instead of... Continue

We remember today our (virtual) ancestors, who just a dozen generations ago fled religious persecution in Europe. The Mayflower’s human cargo risked their lives, literally, to seek new hope in a new world. They longed for a life of freedom but found a life of... Continue

The wonderful poem quoted alongside came to mind this week, as we pondered the striking constellation of big issues currently under consideration in the local halls of government: a new law against homeowners allowing alcohol at teen parties, decisions about maintaining programs in the public... Continue

So begins the existential French expression, meaning that the more things change, the more they stay the same. This phrase comes to mind as we ponder the recent direction by the Sonoma City Council to develop a solicitation for proposals to manage the farmers market,... Continue