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Editorials

Local talent

What is it about Sonoma? It seems that in whichever direction we turn, we see young people working hard and achieving. From fifth-grader Gage Osbourne winning the county spelling bee to high school senior Michael Lee having his work accepted into the professional segment of... Continue

Counsel to council

Advice is cheap, it’s said, and we acknowledge that we’re not the ones making tough decisions in front of vocal crowds. But the Sonoma City Council is pondering a new measure on which we’d like to offer a little advice. It is the proposal to... Continue

Dreams can come true

Yes, we know it’s a sappy movie, and Richard Gere simply plays himself, but we still enjoy re-runs of “Pretty Woman.” One of our favorite parts is the upbeat voiceover: Welcome to Hollywood! What’s your dream? ... This is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams... Continue

Silver lining

It’s said that in every storm cloud, one can find a silver lining. Perhaps that’s true. A storm cloud is how one might describe what has settled over school finances this year. On Tuesday night, the school board approved layoff notices to more than 20... Continue

‘Hello, Sonoma.’

We title our column today in contrast to the “Goodbye, Colorado” headline in the Rocky Mountain News, which ceased publication last week after 150 years of service to its community. That such a venerable newspaper should decide to close its doors is yet another reminder... Continue

‘The odds are 50-50.’

That’s generally not what you want to hear from your doctor. Yet that was one of the professional opinions expressed at the Sonoma Valley Health Care District Strategic Planning Committee meeting last week, in an exchange that featured frank assessments of the prospects for health... Continue

The benefits of competition

We understand that one of our columnists, James Berry, who has covered local music events for us for several years, will start writing this week for the other newspaper here in Sonoma. We are sorry to see James go, but he has our best wishes... Continue

Comings and goings, I

These are fluid times economically, and the media business is a fluid one, anyway, where our stock in trade is a pencil and notepad. (Okay, we’re thoroughly computerized and digitized, though we resist being homogenized.) We say farewell this week to our friend Daedalus Howell,... Continue

The banking business

One of the many joys of being in the media business in a small community is the variety of opinions we hear on a broad range of issues. The latest stems from Sonoma Valley Bank’s proposal to increase its capital reserves through the issuance of... Continue

Where were the parents?

Awful news on Sunday, about young teenage children getting drunk late Saturday night and one or more of the boys assaulting the girl in the group. It appears a sordid mess, and we can’t help wondering, “Where were the parents?” The youngsters were in a... Continue