by Yue Stella Yu This article was originally published by CalMatters Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters Gov. Gavin Newsom opened this year with a rosy forecast: Buoyed by $17 billion more in revenue than previously planned, the state would have a modest surplus of $363 million... Continue
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Local Sonoma Valley News:
I wanted this column to pour some hope your way, along with the rains. It can be a confusing season – nutty, fun and sometimes sad as we venture toward a new year. Still, many of our endeavors come from wishing and footwork. For example,... Continue
The esteemed Sonoma Valley Sun columnist Bob Edwards is also a cynophile and cynophilist, endowed with intense canophilia. He is also a notable retired attorney licensed to practice law in the State of California and ipso facto (a Latin legal term which only professionals like... Continue
Drunk diver restrictions: AB366 now requires every individual convicted of a DUI to install an IID (device that requires testing for alcohol before vehicles can be started). Slow-down requirements: AB390 requires that when approaching accidents or marked highway maintenance vehicles drivers must now move lanes... Continue
The Joys of Not Winning $1.8 billion As this column was being digitized, the $1.8 billion Powerball lottery was just won by someone(s) soon-to-be-robbed in Arkansas. What a way to end the year! Math majors will note that the odds of winning the whole $1.8... Continue
By Helen Marsh The economics of living in the Sonoma Valley are changing. Families that have been here for generations are closing or selling businesses and properties that have long been stalwarts of the local economy. Think the Lynch Family’s Index-Tribune, Benziger Winery, the Mulases,... Continue
While social media and communications technology like ZOOM have mushroomed, the government's attitude towards public comment and participation has worsened. Government repeatedly sends this message: the public is a nuisance. In all fairness, opinion and commentary in the age of social media have become degraded.... Continue
When I was a child, my father, a Brooklyn boy with absolutely no mastery of German, would nonetheless say this to me in the morning, i.e.: “Did you have a good sleep?” “Ya, gut!” I would dutifully answer, and we would laugh. Many people have... Continue
In the City of Sonoma, minimum wages increase on January 1, 2026, to $18.47/hour for large employers (26+ employees) and $17.38/hour for small employers (25 or fewer employees), exceeding California's $16.90 state wage, as part of the city's annual adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. These rates apply to... Continue
Frosty temperatures have dropped into the 30s and amid clear blue skies, but rain will return for yet another week beginning on Wednesday. Nearly ten inches has accumulated this rainy season, and the next round should add another 4-5 inches. Continue