At its next meeting on October 7, 2026, Sonoma's City Council will consider allocating $1.25 million from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund as an incentive to to develop construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable housing within the city. What follows is the staff report... Continue
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Those who think the above title was chosen simply to attract attention to this column win a 2026 Smartypants Award, guaranteeing future access to this column free of charge. The critter-killing subject in question is the still-popular ‘sport’ of Hunting. But why? Well, our sacred... Continue
By Karla Noyes If the City of Sonoma instituted a vacancy tax, it could do three things: motivate owners of long‑term vacant homes to put them back into use; generate revenue for essential city services; and – most importantly – restore the year‑round civic participation... Continue
The bill, now enacted into law, requires the minimum hourly wage for an approved agricultural employee and corresponding employee, as defined, to be $19.75 per hour. Commencing January 1, 2027, and each January thereafter, the bill requires the above-described minimum hourly wage to be adjusted... Continue
The recent decline of vineyards in Sonoma Valley and the greater Bay Area comes on the heels of a similar drop in local dairy farms and production. This issue is quite apparent, with closed businesses (R.I.P Vella Cheese!), grapevines pulled out, empty grazing pastures and... Continue
By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor Within the world of sports, there are cultures created by the athletes and the teams they play for, that are hopefully owned and operated by affluent people who truly care about their franchise and the value and... Continue
The following letter was sent to the Sonoma City Council Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers: The Sonoma Valley Democratic Club members voted unanimously to support the Tri Park Ordinance Proposal for the three city parks at our August 2026 General Meeting. This endorsement resulted from... Continue
A few weeks ago, these two headlines sat side-by-side on the business page of the San Francisco Chronicle: “EPA eliminates rule that limits emissions from power plants,” and “President dismisses AI dangers as ‘hoax’.” All I could think is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human... Continue
By Anna Pier The eyes of the Valley are presently fixed on the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board, but there is only one seat in play in the November elections, that of Area One trustee. This is the northernmost area in the District, informally... Continue
Three October performances invite audiences to listen deeply, sing together and move beneath the New Moon. Glen Ellen Gathering Space welcomes fall with 'Lie Down & Listen | Get Up & Dance', a music series exploring the many ways sound brings us back into our... Continue