The 15th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction two weeks ago was nearly as deadly as last year’s wine-soaked charity extravaganza. The auction’s theme, the Wild Bunch, owed a direct debt to western auteur Sam Peckinpah’s film of the same name, though reverse transubstantiation finds... Continue

Alleviating some of the difficulties regarding recruitment of primary care physicians to Sonoma Valley, the Sonoma City Planning Commission approved the use permit application of the Prima Medical Group at its meeting Thursday. Based in Marin County, Prima is a physician-owned and -operated group whose... Continue

In a conference call with anti-war activists, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, criticized the lack of movement on the part of the Democratic leadership in pushing hard enough for an end to the war in Iraq and went so far as to suggest maybe those members... Continue

Residents along Lovall Valley road have been fighting a proposed winery that would be built on the valley floor. The winery would be located in Napa County, but would be accessed on Sonoma County roads. Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley Sun By Don Speich Sonoma Valley Sun... Continue

Kathy Swett, executive director of the Sonoma Community Center, talks with David Goodison, president of the Board of Directors, moments before he announces to the council the center’s withdrawal of its request for financial support from the city. Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley Sun The Sonoma Community... Continue

The Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Measure E, the $91 a year parcel tax proposed by the Sonoma Valley Unified School District. The tax would raise about $1.4 million annually for the district. District officials say the money would be used for teacher... Continue

Don Speich, a veteran and award-winning journalist at several California newspapers, has joined the Sonoma Valley Sun as news editor. Most recently, Speich was a reporter and editor with the Marin Independent Journal. Previously he was a reporter with the Sacramento Bee and the Los... Continue

Ray Jacobsen 1938-2007 “Ray was a very kind man and deeply involved in the arts community,” said sculptor Jim Callahan. Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley SunThe man Sonoma recognized as a town treasure, famed artist Ray Jacobsen, died peacefully on Friday, Sept. 3 after a long struggle... Continue

Countrywide Financial cuts 12,000 jobs The largest home-mortgage lender in the U.S. announced Friday its plans to trim costs in the face of “the most severe down cycle in the contemporary history of our industry,” according to Angelo Mozilo, Countrywide Corp's CEO. The combination of... Continue