Last week, at the school district’s regular board meeting, Superintendent Barbara Young asked trustees to discuss the criteria to apply as they plan for the anticipated loss of funding, both from the failure of Measure E and from the governor’s proposed budget cuts. Board president... Continue

ConsumerWatch reported on Jan. 17 that overall housing prices, which have been declining steadily for over two years, were down 14.8 percent from a year ago. The median price for a home in San Francisco County declined 1.9 percent to $731,000. But of the nine... Continue

Linda Kelly outside of her new office on the first day of work. Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley SunNew City Manager arrives Carol Giovanatto has been serving as acting city manager for the City of Sonoma since City Manager Mike Fuson retired last month. This week, she’s... Continue

On Tuesday, Linda Kelly sat down at her desk for the first time as Sonoma’s City Manager. At the end of the day, she opened her new blog with a note to the community. “Today was a great first day!” she wrote, and thanked the... Continue

“Why have a pet memorial wall when you have memorials for people who died for their country?” This question, posed by Herb Golenpaul at the January 16 city council meeting after Assistant City Manger Carol Giovanatto introduced the proposal for a pet memorial wall, ignited... Continue

Carol Giovanatto has been serving as Acting City Manager for the City of Sonoma since City Manager Mike Fuson retired last month. This week, she’s welcoming Linda Kelly, the new city manager, and resuming her former duties as Assistant City Manager and Finance Director. She... Continue

ConsumerWatch reported on January 17 that overall housing prices, which have been declining steadily for over two years, were down 14.8 percent from a year ago. The median price for a home in San Francisco declined 1.9 percent to $731,000. But of the nine Bay... Continue

I’m not sure if this is a cliché (yet), but I always thought, at some point, someone should have said “Young Americans visit Paris to find themselves, but the lucky ones lose themselves.” The koan-like notion is neither advice nor admonition, but somehow instructional-sounding nevertheless.... Continue

“Can the hospital bond be used to do everything the hospital wants, but just not buy the land?” This question was posed at Wednesday night’s meeting of the Sonoma City Council by Mike O’Brien, one of several neighbors who voiced strong objection to the building... Continue