Editor: I always enjoy Larry Barnett’s interesting and provocative writings but he hit a homerun with the one titled, “Playing the Fool.” Every stock market investor or potential investor should consider the referenced article as mandatory reading before taking the leap. It provides the necessary... Continue

Lower rents Editor: With all the heat about and against so called affordable housing, nobody seems to mind that greedy landlords/ladies prefer leaving empty store fronts rather than lowering their rents. I had been angry at the waste even before the monster office and retail... Continue

Brilliant plan Editor: Government plans to spend $3.6 trillion of our money to get us out of the depression.  Hard to wrap your mind around a trillion?  That’s 1,000,000 times 1,000,000 or one followed by 12 zeros.  $3.6 trillion would be more than $32,000 for... Continue

Suggests more access to information Editor: Regarding the water discussion at the City Council meeting Wednesday night and in particular residential water use, I was pleased to see members of the public and Mayor Pro Tem Steve Barbose echo a suggestion I made a few... Continue

Public school funding Editor: Educational spending is a highly charged topic at all levels. Maybe this rather simple example will help explain a fiscal problem public schools encounter frequently: Mrs. Smith is feeling generous after finding an additional $2000 in the family budget. She tells... Continue

Hope for the future Editor: I’d like to believe, along with my ten year old son who suggested it, that the person who took his bicycle (almost new, matte black with gold lettering, Specialized Hard Rock Sport mountain bike) on Saturday, January 31, from the... Continue

Appreciates Sonoma Valley Hospital Editor: Recently, I experienced the services at Sonoma Valley Hospital for a very minor surgery. Even though minor, it seemed to require, in addition to a surgeon and an anesthesiologist, the assistance of some eight nurses, nurses aids and student nurses.... Continue

Readers speak out on affordable housing Editor: California law requires that 20 percent of the funds received by the Community Development Agency be used exclusively for low-income housing development and support.  Moreover, of all housing categories required by the state, Sonoma is deficient in housing... Continue

Do you care? Editor: Last November voters overwhelmingly approved Measure P, which authorized the Sonoma Valley Health Care District to sell $35 million of general obligation bonds for specific uses. It now appears that the district did not fully understand the requirements to gain approval... Continue