The perspective of a fortnight seems not long enough to assess the impact in Sonoma Valley of the murder of Luis Miranda. Certainly, many have been quick to blame gangs, though Miranda’s friends insist he was not a gang member. And many have suggested that... Continue
Editorials
Certain folks have been making a big deal out of the frustration experienced by a long-time, local family in not landing a deal with Sonoma Valley Hospital to build a new hospital on their land. It must have looked to the family, as it did... Continue
It must feel a touch strange for the city council members, voting themselves a salary from taxpayer money. But all the other city councils do it, comes the reply, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Maybe .... Incentives matter. We believe that people generally make... Continue
We refer to the parents of Nina Gorbach and Ilene Sagall, the sisters who together with Howard Gorbach founded WillMar Center for Bereaved Children and named it in honor of their parents. Located here in Sonoma, WillMar provides a unique place where children can learn... Continue
What do we tell schoolchildren about the future, about their future? “Why, you can be anything you want. Yes, you, too, can be President.” At least, that’s what we were told, and we assume that each generation of children is told the same. Our presidents... Continue
That was the slogan from 1995, long since discarded, that the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation adopted in one of its early efforts to raise money for our public schools. The plan, as one might imagine, was to encourage Sonoma Valley residents to go out to... Continue
Nativity Naiveté Silly us! We thought the “holiday display” issue that Sonoma City Councilman Aug Sebastiani had put on the agenda for the city council meeting last week was going to go nowhere. After all, hadn’t the local ministers agreed two decades ago that Christmas... Continue
“Hear, O Israel.” So came the calls over thousands of years to a unique people. The prophets, according to their history, proclaimed God’s commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might, and you shall... Continue
A lot of folks believe that California is a great place to live, ourselves included. Not that we wouldn’t change a few things, if we were writing the laws. And it seems a lot of folks believe that “there oughta be a law.” That slogan... Continue
Up the ante! They said that they would do it, and indeed they did! Raise a million dollars, that is. The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance set a high standard this year, and with hard work by Charlie Tsegeletos, president of the Alliance, by... Continue