I just returned from a visit with an old friend. We were coworkers at Visa Credit Card, many years ago. We have maintained our friendship even though we are at opposite ends of the political spectrum. People often ask me, how do you do this?... Continue
Personal/Political
This is the headline for a movie review of John Wick: Chapter 4: A three-hour killing spree perversely entertains. It claims the “fetishized violence” is “visually impressive.” I do not watch movies like this; I believe that violence has consequences. In real life, killing rips... Continue
Can we picture the Springs as it will be, as it should be? When I recently viewed “Picturing the Springs” by Michael Acker at the Depot Park Museum, I could not stop thinking about what our Springs community once was, what it is now, and... Continue
Often after speaking at a local government meetings, I hear, “Well that’s just your opinion, just anecdotal.” I consider myself a logical, observant person. I do my best, not to just make things up. I think this comes from my years as a business and... Continue
If we look at the city of Sonoma’s plaza, we see a lovely park with trees, an amphitheater, city hall, tourism office, rose garden, duck pond, playground, and picnic tables. This lovely plaza was once a dirt parade ground for General Vallejo’s troops. When visiting... Continue
Andy Lopez, David Ward, David Pelaez Chavez, have we forgotten their names? Have we forgotten Measure P, passed by Sonoma County voters with 64.7% of the vote in 2020? Forgotten the letters of agreement created by law enforcement unions and the Sonoma County Board of... Continue
Business as usual. How often do we hear these words? But wouldn't seem that if you do something over and over again and it does not work, you should try something different? I was speaking with some experienced architects the other day. They asked me... Continue
How do we let our elected officials and various board members at both the county and Sonoma city level know what our opinions and needs are? I have been thinking a lot about this recently because of where we are on the specific plan and... Continue
This is from the book, A Tale of Two Valleys by Alan Deutschman, published in 2003. “Beyond the working-class haven of the west side came the Springs, which were once known for their natural hot-springs resorts for day-tripping city folks. Long ago the waters dried... Continue
In the housing discussion there are a lot of terms being thrown around. Workforce housing, affordable housing, area median income (AMI), missing middle, and more. But, what do these terms actually mean? Do they have a fixed meaning, one with no gray area? Recently these... Continue