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Local Sonoma Valley News

Ron Cohn departs: “It’s time.”

Program Director Ron Cohn is retiring from the Sonoma Developmental Center next month, after 36 years of service. Cohn came to SDC right after graduating from San Jose State University with a degree in psychology, and has worked there ever since. During his early years,... Continue

Sonoma gets ‘wireless 911’ service

Sonoma cellphone users dialing for help will no longer have to go through the California Highway Patrol, following a recent change to the way local emergency calls are handled. “The concept is that calls locally routed will go to local resources,” sheriff’s dispatch manager Steve... Continue

Help wanted: spider hunters

Zoropsis up close - submitted photoIf you see a large brown spider lurking about your house, don’t squish it – mail it. That’s the word from California Academy of Sciences entomologist Darrell Ubick, following a couple of unconfirmed local reports that an invasive arachnid called... Continue

Numbers down for fire academy

Given that 75 percent of Sonoma Valley’s firefighters are volunteers, the fact that this year’s Volunteer Fire Academy mustered only nine locals may be cause for concern. “Usually, the academy had anywhere between 20 to 30 recruits,” Kenwood Fire Capt. Daren Bellach said. “The last... Continue

Catch-22 for missing Cline chickens

Last week’s grand theft of 413 baby chicks from Fred and Nancy Cline’s Second Street East home contains a minor legal conundrum involving Sonoma’s animal code. The chicks were stolen from a large shed on the three-acre Cline property sometime between 1 and 8 a.m.... Continue

Sonoma Valley Unified School District announces new superintendent

Dr. Pamela Mertens was named the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Superintendent. Her position begins on July 1. SUBMITTED PHOTO On Monday, April 21, the Sonoma Valley Unified School District announced they had “enthusiastically approved” the superintendent’s contract with Pamela Martens, Ph.D. Martens has been... Continue

News Briefs

Gas prices up in Sonoma, too The long-dreaded national gasoline hike hit Sonoma Valley last week – and even the retailers were unhappy. By Friday, a gallon of regular gasoline was still a bit under the $4 mark at eight stations in and around Sonoma.... Continue

Community concerns still stir hospital issue

A week after the Sonoma Valley Hospital Board of Directors’ packed post-bond meeting, people are still talking. “I thought there’d be more from the audience,” said board member Bill Boerum, who called for another bond measure – this time for the whole amount – and... Continue

Candidates for supervisor grilled

On Wednesday night, at the District One supervisor’s debate hosted by the Sonoma Valley Sun, four candidates faced questioners and each other. Answering a series of prepared questions and questions from the audience, each had a chance to present their qualifications, accomplishments, concerns and solutions,... Continue