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# Sonoma Valley Sun

The Community's Independent Voice

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## Posts

- [Objects to Roundabout on 3rd Street West](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/12/objects-to-roundabout-on-3rd-street-west/) - This morning, the City of Sonoma installed a temporary roundabout at the intersection of Third Street West and Perkins Street, a primarily residential area. I have spoken out against this project since October 2025 to the Traffic Safety Committee and City Council. This project is
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/13/147180/) - Judge blocks Trump anti-DEI conditions on California, Oregon grants. Multiple federal courts have blocked the administration’s anti-DEI policies as unlawful.
- [Larry Barnett: My Life as A Biophile](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/13/larry-barnett-my-life-as-a-biophile/) - Life appears to be very rare, at least in our solar system. There are trillions of planets scattered throughout the universe, of course, and among them many may harbor life of some sort. If we survive long enough as a species, we might actually verify life on other planets. Big if. Despite how miraculous and
- [Recent Earthquakes Are A Reminder: Be Ready Before the Ground Shakes](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/13/recent-earthquakes-are-a-reminder-be-ready-before-the-ground-shakes/) - The powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 are a sobering reminder that earthquakes can happen without warning. Sonoma County is crossed by four active faults, making earthquakes an inevitable part of living here. While we can't predict when the next one will strike, we can prepare for it. Taking a few simple steps now
- [Sonoma County Maintains Progress in Reducing Homelessness, but Challenges Lie Ahead](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/13/sonoma-county-maintains-progress-in-reducing-homelessness-but-challenges-lie-ahead/) - Last year, homelessness dropped to its lowest level in Sonoma County in nearly two decades. Preliminary results from this year's annual Point-in-Time Count suggest homelessness has remained at its lowest level since 2007, even as financial challenges mount. The Jan. 30 count identified 1,951 people experiencing homelessness in Sonoma County, essentially unchanged from last year.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/12/147167/) - People who aren’t sufficiently hydrated age faster. They’re also more susceptible to chronic disease and are even at a greater risk of early death
- [City Council to Vote on Banning Motorized Bicycles and Scooters on Bike Paths](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/12/city-council-to-vote-on-banning-motorized-bicycles-and-scooters-on-bike-paths/) - At it meeting of July 15, 2026, Sonoma's City Council will vote on the adoption of an ordinance that bans motorized vehicles on bike paths. Such paths exist north of the Plaza, and run north and south alongside portions of both Nathanson and Fryer Creeks. The ordinance states; "Chapter 10.74.011 - Motor-driven vehicles prohibited bicycle
- [Cartoon By Hilary - July 2, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/12/cartoon-by-hilary-july-2-2026/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker Magazine cartoonist, humorist and author who just happens to have been born and raised right here in Sonoma.
- [California Supreme Court Affirms IOLERO Subpoena Power](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/12/california-supreme-court-affirms-iolero-subpoena-power/) - For six years, the Sonoma County Sheriff has opposed the subpoena power of IOLERO, the agency empowered with civilian review of police activity, but California's Supreme Court has finally put the issue to rest. In its decision, the court decided not to review an appeal by the Sheriff's Office and a deputy labor group, which
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/11/147151/) - Scientists Are Watching for a Mega El Nino That Could Reshape California’s Winter
- [Can California Protect Its Own Gun Control Laws?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/11/can-california-protect-its-own-gun-control-laws/) - by Lynn La This article was originally published by CalMatters California Democrats are used to defending gun control measures against lawsuits by Second Amendment advocates like the California Rifle and Pistol Association. Now, the state is facing a lawsuit from the Trump administration targeting a new law restricting sales of Glock semi-automatic handguns. Since July 1,
- [Watmaugh Road Closed During Bridge Replacement Until 2027](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/11/watmaugh-road-closed-during-bridge-reconstruction-until-2027/) - During removal and construction, residents will continue to have access to their homes, although vehicles will not be able to cross the bridge. Everyone traveling through the area—including emergency responders and service providers—will use the signed detour route. While the closure will require some extra planning, this project will provide a safer, more resilient bridge
- [New Look at Local History with Seven Flags Over Sonoma - The Musical](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/09/new-look-at-local-history-with-seven-flags-over-sonoma-the-musical/) - Performances are on Saturday, July 11 and Saturday, July 18. Both are at 3 p.m., in Burlingame Hall, on the campus of the First Congregational Church of Sonoma, at 252 W. Spain Street. There is lots of free parking. Local history buffs and entertainers George Webber and CW Bayer have announced their latest historically-themed performance-art
- [Planning a Better, More Connected Future for Transit in Sonoma County](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/10/planning-a-better-more-connected-future-for-transit-in-sonoma-county/) - Sonoma County Transit (SCT), in partnership with the Sonoma County Transportation & Climate Authorities (SCTCA), Santa Rosa CityBus, and Petaluma Transit, has launched a comprehensive Strategic Transit Plan designed to guide transit improvements over the next five years. This effort will evaluate today’s transit network, engage the community, and create a roadmap for delivering a
- [Here’s What the ‘Once-In-A-Lifetime’ Federal Housing Bill Means for California](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/10/heres-what-the-once-in-a-lifetime-federal-housing-bill-means-for-california/) - by Ben Christopher This article was originally published by CalMatters The largest single piece of federal housing legislation to come out of Congress in at least a generation just became law. It happened in the middle of the night, without much fanfare and it might be a while before many Californians notice its effects. That’s because
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/10/147138/) - Researchers declare 'catastrophic mortality event' as 145 gray whales found dead on West Coast
- [Some Errors In "Miwok Native Fathers Wine Industry"](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/10/some-errors-in-miwok-native-fathers-wine-industry/) - I read with interest “Miwok Native Fathers Wine Industry,” written by Sandi Hansen which was based on my research and an earlier 2018 article in the Valley of the Moon Magazine. There are some errors in the present article. The most obvious is the illustration of a Native American labeled Viviano. This portrait shows a
- [Julian Mackie Announces His Candidacy for Sonoma City Council in District One](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/08/julian-mackie-announces-his-candidacy-for-city-council-in-district-one/) - Sonoma resident Julian Mackie has announced his intention to run for City Council in District 1. The election for a four year term takes place this November. This is the first time City Council members will be elected via the city's new district system of voting. Julian Mackie, 33, is currently the Executive Director of
- [Music In Place - The Music of Rogers and Hart - July 26, 4pm](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/09/music-in-place-the-music-of-rogers-and-hart-july-26-4pm/) - At the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/09/147126/) - American politics increasingly rewards short-term thinking, which makes it hard to build durable institutions and alliances
- [Usury: The Debtors’ Prison Without Walls in America](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/09/usury-the-debtors-prison-without-walls-in-america/) - By Georgia Kelly It seems that most people I know pay off their credit cards in full every month, or their accountant or secretary pays the bills, which means that the debtor doesn’t see the inserts that accompany these invoices. Lacking this information, prompt payers have no idea about the Debtors’ Prison without Walls that
- [Devils Darlins' Classic Car Show July 11, 9am-2pm](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/09/devils-darlins-classic-car-show-july-11-9am-2pm/) - Classic cars, food and music at the Vets Hall, Sonoma, 9am to 2pm on July 11.
- [Community Voices: The Flag Is Still Flying](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/09/the-flag-is-still-flying/) - By Leigh Cavalier, Founder, Sonoma Schools Alliance The flag is still flying. That is worth saying plainly, because one man already tried to take it down once. In January, Board President David Bell, acting alone, ordered the Progress Pride flag removed from Sonoma Valley High School. He did not bring it to the board. He
- [Praxis on Zoom - Betrayed: What Has Happened to America in the Past 18 Months?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/08/praxis-on-zoom-betrayed-what-has-happened-to-america-in-the-past-18-months/) - FRIDAY, JULY 17 at 4:00 pm on Zoom Tickets: $16 for Praxis members ($21 for non-members) To Register, Click Here IRA SHAPIRO - Betrayed: What Has Happened to America in the Past 18 Months? Ira Shapiro is the co-editor and author with Anne Tam of Betrayed: America Didn’t Vote for This, published May 2026. The
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/08/147112/) - People with higher openness tend to have better psychological well-being and people with higher conscientiousness tend to report greater life satisfaction and live longer
- [Miwok Native Fathers Wine Industry](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/05/miwok-native-fathers-wine-industry/) - Viviano’s Vineyard Editor’s Note: A longer version of this story was first published in 2018 in Valley of the Moon magazine. It is reprinted here with enthusiastic permission. By Sandi Hansen A common question in winemaking circles is, who was Sonoma Valley’s first private grape grower and cultivator? We know that Father Junipero Serra, founder
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club: July Plant of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/08/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-plant-of-the-month/) - July's Plant of the Month Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future Native Alternatives to July's Birth Flowers By Sedra Nathan, Hannah Aclufi, and Vincent Distrola In July, the traditional birth flowers are: LARKSPUR – a symbol of lightness, positivity, and an open heart WATER LILY – a symbol of purity,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/07/147093/) - The story of how the Himalayan blackberry came to swallow the West Coast is a monument to late nineteenth-century industrial ambition.
- [Larry Barnett: Rise of the Moral Monsters](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/07/larry-barnett-rise-of-the-moral-monsters/) - We were warned. No less than James Baldwin, the brilliant black writer, observed the heinous conduct of white America towards people of color, was horrified, and said as much: “moral monsters.” This was in 1979, and if anything, things have gotten worse. Yes, America elected a Black President, and the resulting vitriol aimed at him
- [School District Students Present Folkloric Dance Concert](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/07/school-district-students-present-folkloric-dance-concert/) - A packed house at the El Verano Community School gathering hall enjoyed Así Danzan Los Niños - This Is the Way the Children Dance – the end of school-year show presented on June 7 by Grupo Folklórico Quetzalén. Quetzalén is under the direction of Executive Director Víctor Ferrer, who is also Co-Creative Director with Vanessa
- [Sonoma County Assessment Roll Increases to $131.7 Billion](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/07/sonoma-county-assessment-roll-increases-to-131-7-billion/) - Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Deva Marie Proto has delivered the 2026-27 assessment roll to the Sonoma County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector. The net assessment roll has hit an all-time high of $131,753,999,666, which is an increase of 3.73% over last year’s assessment roll amount and reflects the value of all real and business property as of Jan. 1,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/06/147082/) - American independence was not won through perseverance and politics alone. Many of our nation’s founders were also practitioners of “natural philosophy” or what we call science today
- [Steven Serafini: Soccer’s Universal Appeal](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/06/steven-serafini-soccers-universal-appeal/) - Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor Months before the globe’s most popular sport, now playing on its grand stage in the World Cup, I was singing the major soccer blues when the Azzurri, Italy’s national team, failed to qualify for the third straight time. I’m a first generation, 100-percent Italian, and Italy has been my favorite
- [Sonoma’s Native American Foodways ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/06/sonomas-native-american-foodways/) - By Kathleen Thompson Hill Many of us, in many ways, have a lot to learn from the indigenous peoples who lived here for centuries before white Europeans showed up to take their land. Members of Pomo, Coast Miwok, and Wappo bands (or tribes) enjoyed their own settlements in Sonoma and Napa counties starting from 8,000
- [KSVY Host and Sonoma Resident Dick Conte Inducted into Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/05/ksvy-host-and-sonoma-resident-dick-conte-inducted-into-bay-area-radio-hall-of-fame/) - Sonoma Valley Community Communications proudly celebrates the induction of Dick Conte into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame, honoring one of the most respected voices in jazz broadcasting and a cherished member of the Sonoma community. The California Historical Radio Society announced Conte as a member of its 2026 Bay Area Radio Hall of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/05/147069/) - The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Wednesday against California’s recently-enacted ban on Glock-style firearm sales
- [Under the SUN: Joe Weber – Living a Life in Two Cultures](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/03/under-the-sun-joe-weber-living-a-life-in-two-cultures/) - Joe Weber, a Pomo-Lakota native who was raised in Sonoma, and raised his own children here, spoke with Anna Pier about his journey toward understanding the past, and working for the future. Please talk about your background. My name is Joseph Weber. I'm half Pomo from Big Valley Rancheria, and half Lakota from Pine Ridge
- [Ukraine Sister City Needs Solar Panels For Firehouse](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/05/ukraine-sister-city-needs-solar-panels-for-firehouse/) - Emergency fire and medical services critical to public safety have become the prime target of Russian missile attacks in Ukraine. Last winter, frequent blackouts hampered the operation of early warning systems critical to operations in firehouses, hospitals, and civic buildings as they were forced to operate generators on an expensive and and often scarce supply
- [The Birth of a Nation and The Birth of Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/05/the-birth-of-a-nation-and-the-birth-of-sonoma/) - The arc of History, from 1776 to 19th Century California (Editor’s note: What follows is a segment from the script for a remarkable historical drama that will be enacted at the Sonoma Barracks on July 4 at 1 p.m. The script was written by George Webber, the multiple-personality Disordered actor/historian/tour guide who inhabits the soul
- [Katy Byrne: Bombs Bursting in Air?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/04/katy-byrne-bombs-bursting-in-air/) - Gave Truth To The Night? You know the story. The bully in the playground has always existed. Through history we slayed dragons, lions, other humans, and everything else in sight. America began with stolen land, people and animals broken by force. Don’t think twice, it’s alright. We point fingers, if only we got rid of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/04/147055/) - Every society depends on violence workers, but what makes young men take a job that risks their lives and harms others?
- [Hometown Band Will Delight Twice in July 4th Parade](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/04/hometown-band-will-delight-twice-in-july-4th-parade/) - Will Also Play Amphitheater Concert By Anna Pier Sonoma's Hometown Band will sport new uniforms in the 2026 Fourth of July Parade, in celebration of the nation’s 250th Anniversary. The beloved local institution was formed in 1967 by Richard Schneider, a retired music director from Sonoma Valley High School, to perform in Sonoma's 4th of
- [Kathleen Hill: Michelin Winners, Openings and Closings](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/04/kathleen-hill-michelin-winners-openings-and-closings/) - While celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary, let’s remember that most of our forebears were immigrants who brought different ideas and goals, and sometimes traditional foods and festivals, from their countries of origin. Many of them also brought hopes of taking advantage of new opportunities to succeed at some enterprise. A few of those meant cooking
- [Bob Edwards: How Long May It Wave?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/04/bob-edwards-how-long-may-it-wave/) - And What Are The Odds? OK, pay attention, kids: 2026 minus 1776 equals 250. Yes, the 250th anniversary of the United States – July 4, 2026 – is here, and it will never come again. For all those years it’s been a wild ride through chaos thick and thin, ups and downs, wars galore, glory
- [Latino Leadership Celebration Held on June 25](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/01/latino-leadership-celebration-held-on-june-25/) - Supervisor Hermosillo Speaks to the New Leaders By Anna Pier More than 20 present and past graduates of the Latino Leadership program gathered with neighborhood friends and representatives of Valley nonprofits to "Celebrate the Leaders," the evening of June 25, in the garden of La Luz Center. The newest graduates comprise the seventh cohort of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/03/147043/) - Hundreds of studies have shown that a cup of joe — or more! — every day may protect against some major diseases
- [Larry Barnett: Feeling Old at 250 ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/03/larry-barnett-feeling-old-at-250/) - Everything changes; it’s the one thing that never does. I remember when America celebrated its 200th birthday fifty years ago. It seemed like such a big deal, and yet here we are half a century later once again making a big deal about the Declaration of Independence. What were we talking about in 1976, anyway?
- [Sonoma Valley Hospital Is Nationally Recognized for Its Commitment to Excellence in Cardiovascular Care](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/03/sonoma-valley-hospital-is-nationally-recognized-for-its-commitment-to-excellence-in-cardiovascular-care/) - Sonoma Valley Hospital has received two American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, helping save lives, support recovery and reduce hospital readmissions. Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 causes of death in the United
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/02/147029/) - Memory is not a war in your brain between remembering the good guy and forgetting the bad guy. Human memory is amazing, and it's fallible
- [Will Shonbrun - America 250: A Sad and Lonely World](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/02/will-shonbrun-america-250-a-sad-and-lonely-world/) - I consider myself a born iconoclast. From as early as I can remember I learned not to trust what I was told by those ostensibly in the know. I chalk it all up to having been put in a boarding school at the age of six for a couple years, and having the known ground
- [Sad But Inevitable Loss of Index-Tribune](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/02/sad-but-inevitable-loss-of-index-tribune/) - It is certainly sad, but also inevitable, that the Index-Tribune is no longer in Sonoma. Now that “vulture capitalist” Alden Global Capital owns all the local newspapers, staff levels and news coverage are declining quicky across the county, and I fear the end is near. The Sonoma Index Tribune was always close to my heart
- [David Bolling: The Tired, The Poor, The Tempest-Tost](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/02/david-bolling-the-tired-the-poor-the-tempest-tost/) - In the late 1960s, as a junior reporter in Washington, D.C., I had the great good fortune of living in an apartment, at the intersection of 23rd and G Streets Northwest, about a 15-minute walk from the Lincoln Memorial and the now infamous reflecting pool that has had the full attention of President Trump, apparently
- [Lowdown Drifters to Play at Beltane Ranch - August 8](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/01/lowdown-drifters-to-play-at-beltane-ranch-august-8/)
- [City of Sonoma Releases Annual Water Quality Report](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/01/city-of-sonoma-releases-annual-water-quality-report/) - The City of Sonoma has released its 2025 Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report), providing customers with detailed information about the City’s drinking water, water sources, monitoring program, and water quality testing results. The report summarizes testing conducted throughout 2025 and explains how the City’s drinking water compares to state and federal drinking water standards. It
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/01/147011/) - The court’s decision allowing states to count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day was especially closely watched in California.
- [Get Ready for the 4th with our Special Edition of the SUN](https://sonomasun.com/2026/07/01/get-ready-for-the-4th-with-our-special-edition-of-the-sun/) - Coming out on July 2, our next edition will include a full July 4 event schedule, Parade Route Map, and Plaza Vendor Map. On newsstands and distributed to many locations in the valley in the afternoon. Check it out!
- [California Faces Pediatric Specialist Shortage as Children with Complex Illnesses Double](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/29/california-faces-pediatric-specialist-shortage-as-children-with-complex-illnesses-double/) - by Raji Koppolu This article originally was published by CalMatters Raji Koppolu is a pediatric nurse practitioner and past president of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Child health in California is approaching a critical tipping point. The number of children with medically complex conditions — estimated at 358,000— is expected to double over the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/30/147002/) - A new study of brain cells in the hippocampus shows that people under general anesthesia can process language in real time and even learn to recognize sounds
- [Editorial: Wrestling With Democracy ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/30/editorial-wrestling-with-democracy/) - As we gather and celebrate our country’s Declaration of Independence this year, we mark 250 years of an experiment in democracy. Our history is filled with irony. Many of our founders enslaved others, the right to vote was limited to men only, the native people of this continent were systematically eliminated, and yet the language
- [Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley Awards $125,121 in Community Grants ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/30/rotary-club-of-sonoma-valley-awards-125121-in-community-grants/) - The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley awarded $125,121 in community grants to 33 local organizations supporting education, youth development, food security, healthcare, arts and culture, and programs that strengthen the Sonoma Valley community. These grants were made possible through the club’s fundraising efforts, including its annual Luck o’ the Irish Raffle. Rotary club members and grant
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/29/146995/) - The proposed billionaires tax survived a concerted push to get it off the November ballot. Now comes a high-stakes campaign dividing labor groups and pitting proponents against Gavin Newsom and Silicon Valley billionaires.
- [Developer Wants to Demolish Ramekins, Move the General’s Daughter to build Townhouses and Duplexes](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/26/developer-wants-to-demolish-ramekins-move-the-generals-daughter-to-build-townhouses/) - By Larry Barnett A subsidiary of Tidewater Capital, a San Francisco development firm valued at more than $450 million, now owns three properties previously part of the Mattson portfolio and is developing plans to transform the three parcels into housing. The three properties include the site of The General’s Daughter, which is the historic home
- [Larry Barnett: Rehumanizing Work](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/29/larry-barnett-rehumanizing-work/) - During Europe’s medieval period guilds dominated the working environment; apprentices learned their trade at the feet of a master craftsman. From shoemakers to bakers to blacksmiths, a trade was not simply a livelihood, but provided a valuable, stable and reliable place within society. The rise of capitalism, an invention of the Mercantile class, radically altered
- [Recycled Water Expansion Project in Sonoma Valley Update](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/29/recycled-water-expansion-project-in-sonoma-valley-update/) - Planning is moving forward on a major recycled water expansion project in Sonoma Valley. This improvement will help reduce groundwater pumping in critically depleted areas while increasing long-term water supply reliability for local agricultural and irrigation users. The project includes installation of approximately 2.5 miles of up to 12-inch diameter pipeline, along with associated valves, meters,
- [Insight Into Health - What Does It Mean to Be Healthy - 8/24 3-4:30](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/28/insight-into-health-what-does-it-mean-to-be-healthy-8-24-3-430/)
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/28/146977/) - Apes and humans have been sharing a laugh for 15 million years. Your laugh may hold a 15 million year secret
- [Sonoma County Housing Newsletter 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/28/sonoma-county-housing-newsletter-2026/) - This is the third Housing Update newsletter aimed at keeping Sonoma County residents, developers, service providers, and other interested parties up to date about housing-related news, regulatory changes, opportunities, and incentives. Housing Policy Changes ADU Code Update & Resources "Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are small dwelling units allowed in conjunction with another primary dwelling unit
- [Billionaire Tax, Affordable Housing: See the Measures on California’s November Ballot](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/28/billionaire-tax-affordable-housing-see-the-measures-on-californias-november-ballot/) - by Yue Stella Yu and Kristen Hwang The article was originally published by CalMatters On Nov. 3, Californians will vote on 14 statewide ballot measures on environment, taxation, election, housing and healthcare. For months, interest groups sponsoring ballot initiatives spent heavily on ad blitzes and signature gathering to get on the ballot, but some agreed to withdraw high-profile proposals after striking
- [Sonoma County Suspends Outdoor Burning in Unincorporated Areas](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/27/sonoma-county-suspends-outdoor-burning-in-unincorporated-areas/) - The County of Sonoma Fire Marshal will suspend all outdoor burning within the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County beginning at 8 a.m. on June 15, in coordination with CAL FIRE's burn permit suspension for the North Bay region. The suspension is being implemented due to increasing fire danger resulting from recent fire activity, rising temperatures,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/27/146967/) - Newsom calls for national billionaire tax while fighting California wealth tax measure. He unveiled his plan one day after a California wealth tax ballot measure advanced despite the governor’s objections.
- [Hometown Band Will Delight  –Twice – in Fourth of July Parade](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/27/hometown-band-will-delight-twice-in-fourth-of-july-parade/) - Also Will Play a Concert in the Amphitheater By Anna Pier Sonoma's Hometown Band will sport new uniforms in the 2026 Fourth of July Parade, in celebration of the 250th Anniversary. The beloved local institution was formed in 1967 by Richard Schneider, a retired music director from Sonoma Valley High School, to perform in Sonoma's
- [Beautiful and rare mass bloom of threatened Chinese Tree to Begin Next Week at Sonoma Botanical Garden](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/26/beautiful-and-rare-mass-bloom-of-threatened-chinese-tree-to-begin-next-week-at-sonoma-botanical-garden/) - For just a few weeks, visitors to Sonoma Botanical Garden will have an opportunity to witness an extraordinary and rare mass bloom of one of its most unusual botanical treasures. Likely beginning next week and lasting approximately three weeks, one of the Garden’s most impressive Emmenopterys henryi trees—an exceptionally rare species native to China—is expected
- [Sonoma Valley Hospital Among the Most Socially Responsible in the Nation](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/26/sonoma-valley-hospital-among-the-most-socially-responsible-in-the-nation/) - Sonoma Valley Hospital recognized for delivering health equity and high value care in addition to great clinical outcomes. Sonoma Valley Hospital has been named one of the most socially responsible hospitals in the nation, earning an Honor Roll spot on the 2026 Lown Hospitals Index. Only 160 out of more than 3,600 U.S. hospitals achieved
- [City Council Adopts Fiscal Year 2026–27 Budget](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/24/city-council-adopts-fiscal-year-2026-27-budget/) - At its June 17 meeting, the Sonoma City Council unanimously adopted the City’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026–27 Operating and Capital Budget, approving the spending plan following several weeks of public review, Finance Committee meetings, and a City Council budget workshop. The adopted budget continues funding for core City services, public safety, infrastructure maintenance, parks and recreation
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/26/146949/) - After Three Brutal Years, California’s Salmon Season Is Finally Open Again. Forecasts pointed to a healthier run of fall Chinook heading back toward the Sacramento River system
- [Subject to Conditions: Prescribed burns near Petaluma and Sonoma planned for June 28–29](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/26/subject-to-conditions-prescribed-burns-near-petaluma-and-sonoma-planned-for-june-28-29/) - This Burn is Subject to Change due to Conditions: Prescribed fire and smoke will be visible due to location on top of Sonoma Mountain. All Hands Ecology plans to conduct prescribed burns totaling 125 acres from June 28–29 as part of a multi-day plan on two private properties on Sonoma Mountain. The burns are part
- [Sonoma Ecology Center's Up Close Look at Sonoma Creek](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/26/sonoma-ecology-centers-up-close-look-at-sonoma-creek/) - Keeping our watershed healthy isn't just one person's job—it takes all of us. —Steven Lee, Senior Scientist & Research Program Manager The watershed is an integral part of any community, and in Sonoma Valley, our creek and its tributaries are central to life. The creek sustains a rich riparian habitat for fish, otters, and deer,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/25/146941/) - The Ebola Outbreak’s Central Mystery: Scientists believe that the Bundibugyo virus persists in an animal species, occasionally spilling over into humans. But they have yet to identify the species
- [It's Pollinator Week and We All Can Do Our Part](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/25/its-pollinator-week-and-we-all-can-do-our-part/) - Pollinator Week, observed June 22–28, is an opportunity to learn how small changes in our yards and gardens can support bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators while creating more water-wise and resilient landscapes. Pollinators play an important role in healthy ecosystems, local agriculture, and food production. They rely on flowering plants, nesting habitat, healthy soil,
- [New Principal for El Verano Elementary School Announced](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/25/new-principal-for-el-verano-elementary-school-announced/) - Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Norma Oregon as the new Principal of El Verano Elementary School, effective July 1, 2026. SVUSD looks forward to introducing Principal Oregon to students, families, and staff as she begins her leadership role at El Verano Elementary School this summer. Ms. Oregon
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/24/146936/) - People with blood type B – either positive or negative – face a slightly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people with non-B blood types.
- [Talking Baking With Mike the Bejkr](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/22/talking-baking-with-mike-the-bejkr/) - Baked Delicacies And Local Grains By Seth Dolinsky Every town has a baker, or at least should. Sonoma has a few, one of which is found exclusively at our local farmers markets, as well as at occasional events and “pop-ups”. Mike “The Bejkr” Zakowski has been baking in the Sonoma Valley for over 20 years.
- [Katy Byrne: Fathers, Men, Males, Boys – Guys](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/24/katy-byrne-fathers-men-males-boys-guys/) - We’re in turbulent times for male identity at this Father’s Day season. Whether it's Colbert or Trump, we’re watching men go through staggering changes and chaos. Maybe Pope Leo helps, but that’s probably controversial too. The economy, aging and politics wallop us all with an unsteady current of confusion. Whether red, blue, purple, rainbow, boom
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: Paying Attention To What’s Important](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/24/josette-brose-eichar-paying-attention-to-whats-important/) - Such A Lovely Planet, So Little Time I look at myself in the mirror and ask, “Exactly when did I become this old woman?” I try on a dress I like and realize I really can’t wear this anymore. Thoughts go through my agnostic brain before I go to sleep some nights. I have never
- [Nomination Period Opens July 13 for Sonoma City Council Candidates](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/23/nomination-period-opens-july-13-for-sonoma-city-council-candidates/) - The nomination period for candidates seeking election to the Sonoma City Council will open on Monday, July 13, 2026, and close on Friday, August 7, 2026. The November 3, 2026, election will be the City of Sonoma’s first City Council election conducted under the City’s new district-based election system. Under this system, voters elect councilmembers who
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/23/146928/) - Emotions often seem unpredictable. But neuroscience suggests the brain organizes them into a coherent system to better navigate your environment.
- [Cartoon by New Yorker Cartoonist Hilary Campbell](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/23/cartoon-by-new-yorker-cartoonist-hilary-campbell/) - Hilary Campbell is an award-winning cartoonist, author and humorist. Her work regularly appears in the New Yorker Magazine. She was raised right here in Sonoma.
- [$11.25 Billion Affordable Housing Bond Will Be on the November Ballot](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/23/11-25-billion-affordable-housing-bond-will-be-on-the-november-ballot/) - The Governor and legislature have agreed to send an $11.25 billion bond to the November ballot aimed at boosting the construction of affordable housing in California. According to Politico, "The bond, if approved by voters in November, would set aside more than $5 billion for the state’s Multifamily Housing Program, while also directing hundreds of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/22/146924/) - California billionaires tax qualifies for ballot, setting up costly fight. An idea loved by progressives and loathed by Silicon Valley appears headed to voters in November.
- [The Women in Sonoma Who Helped Start a Beer Revolution](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/19/the-women-in-sonoma-who-helped-start-a-beer-revolution/) - By Larry Barnett Micro-Breweries are commonplace today, but that was not always so. In 1975, there were none, until that is, the New Albion Brewery on 8th Street East was created. It was the brainchild of three people, and one of them, Jane Zimmerman, still lives in Sonoma. The story of New Albion is legend
- [Larry Barnett: Ashes to Ashes ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/22/larry-barnett-ashes-to-ashes/) - What is life? Erwin Schrodinger, of cat-in-a-box-simultaneously-living and-dead fame, wrote an entire book of that title on the subject, arguing that life emerges from the physics of “Negentropy” or negative entropy, i.e., extracting order from the environment. However, in some way as yet not understood, otherwise inert chemicals and minerals, themselves composed of the very
- [Public Invited to Human Rights Summit and Resource Fair](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/22/public-invited-to-human-rights-summit-and-resource-fair/) - On June 26 in Santa Rosa The Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights is hosting the inaugural Sonoma County Human Rights Summit & Immigration/Consumer Resource Fair, on Friday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sonoma County Administration Building, Room 100A, 575 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa. The first-of-its-kind event will bring
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/21/146917/) - Establishing a human colony on Mars is fraught with risk. Why are so many people obsessed with achieving it?
- [Thunderpussy To Rock Sebastiani Theatre June 26](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/21/thunderpussy-to-rock-sebastiani-theatre-june-26/) - The critically acclaimed, all-woman, Seattle rock band, Thunderpussy, is making a rare Sonoma appearance at the Sebastiani Theatre on Friday, June 26. Known for their electrifying stage presence, Thunderpussy has shared stages and toured with rock heavyweights including Pearl Jam, BUSH, Alice in Chains, and more, earning a devoted following across North America. With a
- [Recapping SVHS Dragons Record Football Seasons](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/21/recapping-svhs-dragons-record-football-seasons/) - 2024 Dragons Unbeaten Season By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor The greatest season in Sonoma Valley High School football history unfolded in 2024, and deserves a review as we bring Sonoma Sun readers up to date on SVHS sports. Because that’s the season the varsity football team reached a school milestone, becoming the
- [Katy Byrne: Looking For Lost Socks](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/21/katy-byrne-looking-for-lost-socks/) - Life Advice From David Brooks Anyone else frustrated lately? I keep thinking of the puppet Elmo’s question, “How’s everybody doing?” It got 200 million views and tens of thousands of replies. I could use Elmo around right now. I’m dazed and discombobulated recently, with whiplashing politics, aging, fire season, and the economy. The voting ballot
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/20/146909/) - Gut microbes produce the chemicals that shape your mood, your immune system, and your cognitive health
- [Bringing the Fourth of July to Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/20/bringing-the-fourth-of-july-to-sonoma/) - Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association Keeping the Tradition Alive By Anna Pier Sonoma will once again host the wonderful, traditional Fourth of July events that have brought joy to our Valley for decades. Jason Campbell, Battalion Chief, is excited to be in charge as once again the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association brings the Fourth of July
- [IOLERO Announces the Appointment of Matthew Chavez as Interim Director](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/19/iolero-announces-the-appointment-of-matthew-chavez-as-interim-director/) - Matthew joined IOLERO in 2022 as a Law Enforcement Auditor III and brings more than 30 years of experience as an attorney, with a background in litigation, administrative law, legal analysis, and accountability practices. He is a Certified Practitioner of Oversight through the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) and a Certified
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/19/146902/) - Federal scrutiny of Gavin Newsom and his wife has unsettled allies, prompted some associates to consider legal representation and opened a new front in the governor’s battle with the White House.
- [Under the Sun: Joe Boldt, Lighting Up the Night on the Fourth](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/19/under-the-sun-joe-boldt-lighting-up-the-night-on-the-fourth/) - Joe Boldt has been bringing the fireworks show to Sonoma for forty years. Anna Pier sat down with him at the Al Mazza Fire House on Second Street West to hear all about how he does it, how he got into it, his work as a Volunteer Captain, and the 250th celebration. You live in
- [Bob Edwards: Sine Cum Laude](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/19/bob-edwards-sine-cum-laude/) - Are Supremes Mentis Sans Compos? There is a growing sense that the U.S. Supreme Court has become – to use a legal expression – non compos mentis. That sentiment results from its seemingly politically-inspired decisions, changing what lawyers refer to as “settled law.” That can occur when the Supremes decide that the law they un-settle
- [Kathleen Hill: June $ Signs      ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/18/kathleen-hill-june-signs/) - Sonoma Eats’ new home definite Efrain Balmes said “We are now 100 percent sure we are moving to the La Hacienda” location in the Fifth Street West shopping center across from Safeway. Making lots of food fans and others happy, he will take over the location that once housed Pearl’s, followed by La Hacienda’s second
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/18/146893/) - Jules Verne predicted submarines and Moon missions. He also got some things hilariously wrong. For a man writing in the 1800s, he was often astonishingly close
- [Steven Serafini: The Will and Thrill of Comebacks](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/18/steven-serafini-the-will-and-thrill-of-comebacks/) - By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor With my 25 years as a Sports Editor and columnist, and as a competitive athlete, coach and fan, I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions in the field of play. And I know that, whether you choose a sport to provide physical exercise, as a recreational pastime
- [Empty Homes Drive Housing Crisis](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/18/empty-homes-drive-housing-crisis/) - Editor, Sonoma Valley suffers from a misallocation of the housing we already have. Our Valley has hundreds of homes that sit empty most of the year. At the same time, a significant share of long‑term rentals have been converted into vacation rentals, removing them from the local workforce housing pool. Meanwhile, rents have risen much
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/17/146886/) - Chance of mega earthquake hitting California now at a 'historic high', experts warn. The faults beneath Los Angeles are at their highest stress in 1,000 years – and overdue for a release
- [David Bolling: The Index-Tribune Doesn’t Live Here Anymore](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/17/david-bolling-the-index-tribune-doesnt-live-here-anymore/) - Like a lot of journalists navigating the evolving digital landscape, I found myself out of a job after Whole Earth, the national magazine for which I was publisher, closed its doors in 2003. The offices were in the historic Dollar Mansion, also known as the Falkirk Cultural Center, in San Rafael, more or less the
- [5 things to Know About California’s Backlog of Police Shooting Investigations](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/16/5-things-to-know-about-californias-backlog-of-police-shooting-investigations/) - Investigations in to fatal shootings by California police take so long that officers often cannot be decertified or charged with most crimes. by Nigel Duara This article was originally published by CalMatters Under growing pressure from a restive public during the summer of 2020, the Legislature passed a bill that put police shootings of unarmed people under the
- [Sonoma Valley Fire District Earns Dual Recognition for Fire Prevention Excellence](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/17/sonoma-valley-fire-district-earns-dual-recognition-for-fire-prevention-excellence/) - City of Sonoma Maintains ISO Class 1 Fire Rating The Sonoma Valley Fire District (SVFD) has earned two significant recognitions for its fire prevention, planning, and community risk reduction programs. Following a recent re-survey by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the City of Sonoma has maintained its Class 1 Public Protection Classification, the highest rating
- [Larry Barnett: The Fascist States of America?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/16/larry-barnett-the-fascist-states-of-america/) - Fascism is more than political or organizational structure; it’s a state of mind, and that state of mind is about justifying dominance of strength over weakness. Taking their cue from a misunderstanding of nature, Fascists view human survival and achievement in simple predatory terms of winners and losers. Losers, they believe, are weak and therefore
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/16/146880/) - Gavin Newsom says Trump's DOJ is investigating him and his wife. “He’s coming after me because I am considering running for president,” the California governor said
- [Current Impressions from Ukraine Under Siege](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/12/current-impressions-from-ukraine-under-siege/) - By Tarney Baldinger I wanted to share with the people of Sonoma the experience that children in our sister city, Kaniv, have been having during this time when the media is giving almost no attention to the Russian war on Ukraine. So I reached out to several of my friends and they wrote back some
- [Editorial: The School Board and the Pride Flag – A Journey ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/16/editorial-the-school-board-and-the-pride-flag-a-journey/) - On January 16 of this year the Pride flag was unceremoniously taken down from the flag pole at Sonoma Valley High School by a unilateral action of David Bell, the President of the School Board. Abusing the authority of his position on the Board, Bell acted solely at his own discretion when he directed High
- [Sonoma Summer Solstice Soirée at MacArthur Place June 18](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/16/sonoma-summer-solstice-soiree-at-macarthur-place-june-18/) - 2026 Marks the Final Chapter of Sonoma Valley’s Bicentennial Wine Celebration with a Summer of Events and Festivities Honoring the Year of Community Sonoma Summer Solstice Soirée Kicks Off the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance’s Year of Community on June 18, at MacArthur Place Just in time for National Bubbly Day on June 6,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/14/146872/) - Nobody quite recovers from being a child: the asymmetry of power between parents and children always leaves a trace
- [NOAA Just Officially Declared El Niño. Forecasters Say It Could Become One of the Strongest on Record.](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/14/noaa-just-officially-declared-el-nino-forecasters-say-it-could-become-one-of-the-strongest-on-record/) - This article was originally published by Active Norcal. The El Niño that scientists have been warning about for months is now official, and the implications for Northern California are enormous. NOAA declared El Niño on Thursday after ocean water temperatures in the tropical Pacific exceeded 0.5 degrees Celsius above average for several consecutive months. The
- [Board of Supervisors Adopts $2.90 Billion Budget](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/14/board-of-supervisors-adopts-2-90-billion-budget/) - The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today adopted a $2.90 billion budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year that begins July 1, approving a spending plan that protects essential services while preparing for major changes in federal policy and anticipated reductions in state and federal funding. The budget includes funding to help residents maintain access to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/13/146868/) - The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division signed off on Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., allowing the blockbuster media merger to move forward
- [Sonoma Valley Pride Plaza Festival This Weekend: We Rise With Pride](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/13/sonoma-valley-pride-plaza-festival-this-weekend-we-rise-with-pride/) - Join Sonoma Valley Pride on the historic Sonoma Plaza for the joyful finale of our three-day Pride weekend. This free community festival brings together live music, drag, local performers, inspiring speakers, queer artists and makers, food, wine, family-friendly activities, and community connection in the heart of Sonoma Valley. This year’s Plaza Festival is our biggest
- [City Council to Consider FY 2026–27 Budget on June 17](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/13/city-council-to-consider-fy-2026-27-budget-on-june-17/) - The Sonoma City Council is scheduled to consider adoption of the City’s Fiscal Year 2026–27 Operating and Capital Budget during its regular meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The proposed budget serves as the City’s financial plan for the coming year, outlining funding for municipal services, infrastructure improvements, parks and recreation, public safety, housing initiatives, and
- [Coming Up at Readers Books](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/12/coming-up-at-readers-books/) - Events Coming Up! Wednesday, June 17th, 5:30 p.m reception, 6:00 p.m. reading, Linda Avellar discusses her book Cassie Linden Finds Her Sweet Spot. Wednesday, July 8th, 5:30 p.m reception, 6:00 p.m. reading, Ron Schultz and Sarah Lovett discuss their book Metal Viper in conversation with Avery Mann. Thursday, July 9th, 5:30 p.m. reception, 6:00 p.m.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/12/146859/) - A new scale for spotting UFO reports worth investigating. This 11-point scale aims to reduce the number of "false alarm" sightings so scientists can focus on harder-to-explain reports
- [‘A betrayal:’ California to Share Data on Immigrant Drivers Nationally](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/12/a-betrayal-california-to-share-data-on-immigrant-drivers-nationally/) - by Khari Johnson and Wendy Fry This article was originally published by CalMatters California is preparing to share with an outside organization detailed information about driver’s license holders, including immigrants who do not have legal authorization to live in the U.S. That breaks a promise the state made a decade ago when it began issuing licenses to unauthorized
- [Transcendence Rocks The Temptations](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/10/transcendence-rocks-the-temptations/) - 15th Season Opens With “Ain’t Too Proud” By David Bolling The Transcendence Theatre Company will launch its fifteenth season on June 12, with a newly-positioned stage to reduce neighborhood sound intrusion, and a Tony-winning, Motown musical melodrama, “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations.” If you’re under 40, and you’ve been
- [November Ballot Initiative Would Reduce Local Government Revenues by Billions](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/11/november-ballot-initiative-would-reduce-local-government-revenues-by-billions/) - This is the fourth ballot attempt by the sponsors to limit funding for essential local services By Kristine Guerrero, senior director of public affairs, and Ben Triffo, legislative advocate This article was originally published by The League of California Cities Cal Cities last week sent a letter to key lawmakers warning that a ballot measure sponsored by the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/11/146850/) - In a new study, UC Berkeley researchers are investigating whether psilocybin can support healthy aging by boosting plasticity in the brains of older adults
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "And Have You Been Voting?"](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/11/cartoon-by-hilary-and-have-you-been-voting-2/) - Hilary Campbell is an award-winning cartoonist, author and humorist. Her work regularly appears in the New Yorker Magazine. She was raised right here in Sonoma.
- [Steve Serafini: Youth Soccer Teams Earn Nationals, Seek Funds](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/11/steve-serafini-youth-soccer-teams-earn-nationals-seek-funds/) - By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor While the biggest global sports event, the World Cup, begins play in North America with Canada, Mexico and the United States tri-hosting the spectacle, the Sonoma Valley United youth soccer club’s year-round select program recently had two teams battle their way to the top of their divisions
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/10/146845/) - A Marine Heat Wave and a Potential Super El Niño Could Threaten California’s Salmon Recovery Before It Takes Hold
- [Under the SUN: Dr. Jason Sutter, the New Superintendent of Sonoma Valley Unified School District](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/08/under-the-sun-dr-jason-sutter-the-new-superintendent-of-sonoma-valley-unified-school-district/) - Meeting with Dr. Jason Sutter, the new Superintendent of Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) the morning of Graduation Day, May 29, Anna Pier asked about his first months on the job, and his vision for leading the District. You started here March 1? Yes. On the one hand, it's felt really quick; on the
- [Walt Williams: To the Class of 2026 - Be Confident. ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/10/walt-williams-to-the-class-of-2026-be-confident/) - Your journey has not been without challenges: COVID; 10 years under the dome of political hate and separation; environmental issues; financial issues; balancing technology and screens and living in a society that prioritizes profits over people. But, it’s time to move past all that and prepare for your future, one that is filled with miracles
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/146840/) - When researchers speak with people nearing the end of their lives, the answers they receive about what they regret are surprisingly similar
- [New Principal for Flowery School](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/new-principal-for-flowery-school/) - The Sonoma Valley Unified School District has announced that Jim Evans has been selected as the next Principal at Flowery Elementary School, starting July 1. Evans brings deep experience in bilingual education, a strong commitment to students and families, and a genuine excitement for joining the Flowery community. Evans earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Humboldt
- [Mexican Consul Visits Sonoma Botanical Garden ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/mexican-consul-visits-sonoma-botanical-garden/) - By Anna Pier On May 27, Marco Antonio Mena, the Consul General from Mexico for Northern California and Hawaii, visited the Sonoma Botanical Garden (SBG) to view the Spirit Guides exhibit and honor the Oaxacan artists who created it, Jacobo and María Ángeles, with a consular proclamation. Receiving the award, Jacobo Ángeles thanked the leadership
- [Coach Litzenberg Unveils Thriller at Readers’ Books June 10](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/coach-litzenberg-unveils-thriller-at-readers-books-june-10/) - You’ve probably heard of John Litzenberg (professionally known as John R. Litzenberg III – denoting his deep roots in Sonoma Valley soil) as the track and cross country coach at Sonoma Valley High School. And if you’ve ever competed in or watched the Napa-Sonoma Half Marathon, which annually ends at the Sonoma Plaza, you know
- [Historical Society Invitation to a Special Presentation of the Play "Dearest Friends" June 25](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/historical-society-invitation-to-a-special-presentation-of-the-play-dearest-friends-june-25/)
- [Questions for the Board of Supervisors About Measure P](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/questions-for-the-board-of-supervisors-about-measure-p/) - Hello Board of Supervisors: Should the Board of Supervisors rewrite parts of Measure P for a future Special Election for the people of Sonoma County? My questions to you are: Do you think a rewrite of certain parts of Measure P is a good and viable idea and do you intend to put this on
- [Art and Handicraft Sale to Benefit Ukraine - June 13, 14](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/09/art-and-handicraft-sale-to-benefit-ukraine-june-13-14/)
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/08/146829/) - Censured by the Left for its philosophy-washing of Empire, the Enlightenment is further under fire from the populist Right
- [Larry Barnett: Our Not So Secret Power](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/08/larry-barnett-our-not-so-secret-power/) - People are remarkable creatures. Liberated from walking using arms and hands thanks to our bipedal gait, we’ve used them to successfully manipulate matter, from lighting fire to assembling spacecrafts. We play music, dance and create drawings and paintings. For better or worse we’ve mastered chemistry, biology and physics and used them to transform the natural
- [Letter From the School Board: Celebrating 2025-2026 at SVUSD  ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/08/letter-from-the-school-board-celebrating-2025-2026-at-svusd/) - Dear Sonoma Valley Community, The 2025–2026 school year was a year of meaningful progress, important decisions, and renewed momentum for the Sonoma Valley Unified School District. Together, we strengthened the district’s financial foundation, expanded opportunities for students and families, welcomed new leadership, and continued investing in programs that support student success both inside and outside
- [New Quake Study Confirms Looming Risk](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/06/new-quake-study-confirms-looming-risk/) - Hayward-Rogers Creek Fault Analysis By David Bolling Much has changed in our knowledge of seismic science since 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, when the San Andreas fault woke up and displaced the surface of the Earth between 20 and 28 feet along a rupture line extending north and south for 296 miles. Today,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/07/146822/) - Xavier Becerra advances to runoff in California governor primary but he still doesn’t know which opponent he’ll face
- [KSVY Benefit Concert Brings the Twisted Songs of Tom Lehrer to Sebastiani Theatre](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/07/ksvy-benefit-concert-brings-the-twisted-songs-of-tom-lehrer-to-sebastiani-theatre/) - An evening of satire, song, and community support is coming to Sonoma on Saturday, June 13, when the Totally Incorrect Players present An Evening of the Twisted Songs of Tom Lehrer at the historic Sebastiani Theatre. The musical review celebrates the work and spirit of Tom Lehrer, the legendary songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician whose
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: Perception and Reality of IOLERO](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/07/josette-brose-eichar-perception-and-reality-of-iolero/) - Perception and reality: sometimes it is difficult to give up our perception about something, someone or someplace, and face reality. Many things appear to be one thing, glowing and positive on the surface, with each of us projecting our idealistic perception on it. These are times when sadly I have come to grips with reality
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/06/146817/) - Researchers relied on a newer gene-editing technique that may make it possible to engineer embryos, a prospect that has long alarmed bioethicists
- [Steven Serafini: Baseball Dragons claim NCS title](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/06/steven-serafini-baseball-dragons-claim-ncs-title/) - By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor After an 18-year wait, the 2026 Sonoma Valley High School varsity boys baseball team laid claim to a North Coast Section championship. In 2008, Sonoma won its first-ever sectional baseball title with the late Don Lyons and Mario Alioto at the coaching helm, and on Saturday May
- [John Paul Morabito and Norma I. Quintana at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/04/john-paul-morabito-and-norma-i-quintana-at-sonoma-valley-museum-of-art/) - By Anna Pier The current exhibit at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art (SVMA) showcases remarkable and remarkably different bodies of work by two northern California artists. Each unique and compelling exhibit is a reflection of the artist's lived experience, translated through their medium – woven tapestries by John Paul Morabito, and black and white
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/05/146812/) - What happens when AI plays war? Wargames are helping answer one of the biggest questions of the AI era: how machines might reshape human decision-making in war
- [Bob Edwards: Oh, Say . . . Can You See??](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/05/bob-edwards-oh-say-can-you-see/) - Celebrating 250 Years of Victories In 1814, Francis Scott Key (‘Scotty’ to his friends) penned a poem entitled, “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” In 1931, its first verse became our National Anthem. As the country’s 250th birthday approaches, it’s a tune we’re hearing more than usual, not just at the beginning of every high-school/college/professional football,
- [Meet Daisy Wright - Distribution Supervisor ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/05/meet-daisy-wright-distribution-supervisor/) - Distributing the Sonoma Valley Sun twice monthly is a full day’s work and includes a lot of driving and hefting of papers. It’s not any easy job, but it’s just right for someone looking for extra income. Daisy Wright is our new Distribution Supervisor; she’s already done the circuit twice and is now familiar with
- [Bamboo - Misunderstood and Maligned](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/04/bamboo-misunderstood-and-maligned/) - By Larry Barnett Worldwide, there are 1,700 documented species of bamboo that grow in regions as diverse as tropical to temperate. Over 100 species are used for food, and nearly that many for construction. They range from tiny to timber-sized and have been in cultivation for 10,000 years. Here in Northern California, where the climate
- [Praxis on Zoom: Barry Spector - No Kings and the Myths of American Innocence](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/04/praxis-on-zoom-barry-spector-no-kings-and-the-myths-of-american-innocence/) - FRIDAY JUNE 12 at 4:00 pm on zoom Tickets: $21 ($16 for Praxis members) Registration: www.praxispeace.org BARRY SPECTOR No Kings — and the Myths of American Innocence As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States of America, Barry Spector invites us to take a hard look at where we came
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/04/146804/) - Why Are Men So Bad at Making—and Keeping—Friends?
- [Your Drinking Water Is About to Cost More](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/02/your-drinking-water-is-about-to-cost-more/) - Sonoma Water board has approved wholesale water rate adjustment for fiscal year 2026-27. Sonoma Aqueduct customers (Valley of the Moon and City of Sonoma) will pay 8.72 percent more for water. The Board of Directors of Sonoma Water on Tuesday approved a wholesale water rate adjustment for the 2026-27 fiscal year to address aging infrastructure,
- [Kathleen Hill: Food and Wine News](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/03/kathleen-hill-food-and-wine-news-2/) - KQED Films at Mill, Sonoma Eats Returns, El Fuoco departs, Native Sons BBQ, Spread Makes Top 100, SMASHburgers Everywhere, PRIDE Comes Back to General’s Daughter “Check, Please!” films at The Mill Leslie Sbrocco’s KQED program, “Check, Please!” films Friday, June 5 at The Mill in Glen Ellen’s Jack London Village. Not knowing whom to thank,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/03/146791/) - Becerra, Hilton leading in most uncertain California governor’s race in years
- [The Sonoma Valley Virtual Authors Festival is Available Now–June 22!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/03/the-sonoma-valley-virtual-authors-festival-is-available-now-june-22/) - Enjoy the unforgettable conversations with some of today’s most celebrated writers and thought leaders, including Rick Atkinson, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Maria Semple, Billy Collins, Dave Barry, plus 20 more authors and thought leaders in science, technology, and medicine. From history and current events to humor, poetry, and more, the Virtual Festival delivers
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/02/146787/) - Neuroscientists are discovering that spending time with others may be a basic biological necessity, like the need for food or water
- [City to Consider Raising Fees to Fill a Looming Budget Deficit](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/01/city-to-consider-raising-fees-to-fill-a-looming-budget-deficit/) - Facing a projected $1 million deficit for the proposed 2026-27 budget, the City of Sonoma recently undertook a fee study to determine ways to increase revenues. Using a “cost recovery” methodology which analyses the actual costs incurred by the city in conducting its affairs such as development plan reviews, cemetery operations, conducting appeal hearings, replacing
- [Editorial: Blessed by The Land ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/02/editorial-blessed-by-the-land/) - Sonoma Valley has some of the finest agricultural land in the world, and it has fed people for thousands of years. Today, agriculture remains a mainstay of our economy and lifestyle, and no better expression of the latter exists than our local farmers markets. Many cities have farmers markets, but here in Sonoma we’re privileged
- [Jennifer Roberts on Healthy Soil - Valley of the Moon Garden Club Speaker  - June 11](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/02/jennifer-roberts-on-healthy-soil-valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-speaker-june-11/) - (VOMGC) 2026 is the 75th Year Anniversary Meets the second Thursday of every month, 6:00pm at Burlingame Hall, 252 W. Spain Street, Sonoma, CA June 11, 2026 - Speaker is Jennifer Roberts Topic: Healthy Soil Jennifer Roberts is an Environmental Educator, Landscape Designer, and speaker specializing in California native plants, composting, and fire-resilient landscaping. With
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/01/146783/) - California is drowning in internet campaign ‘slop.’ 2028 is next. AI ads and influencer payments flooding California’s spring primaries are a likely glimpse into the next presidential race
- [Larry Barnett: Changing Lines, Changing Lanes](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/01/larry-barnett-changing-lines-changing-lanes/) - There might be a purpose to life but answering that question is above my pay grade. An easier question might be is there a purpose to thought? We don’t know how long it is that humans have been thinking. It’s likely that some form of thinking precedes humanity altogether. Whales and elephants, for example, have
- [An Interview with Overlook Trail Steward William Wilson](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/01/an-interview-with-overlook-trail-steward-william-wilson/) - William “Bill” Wilson has championed Sonoma Overlook Trail’s more complex endeavors for over 12 years. His engineering background and technical chops inform his immense contribution to our team. Enjoy this exchange between Bill and his wife, Overlook Steward Mary Nesbitt! What sparked your personal interest in the Overlook Trail? We discovered the trail in 2004
- [Then and Now in Glen Ellen](https://sonomasun.com/2026/06/01/then-and-now-in-glen-ellen/) - The Glen Ellen Historical Society shares Then and Now; Glen Ellen in 1920 looking north on Arnold Drive at London Ranch Road. Historical photo from the Sonoma County Library, now photo by Ray.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/31/146775/) - New research suggests fun isn’t a distraction from learning — it’s the brain’s way of rewarding us for navigating uncertainty, discovering patterns, and staying mentally alive
- [Homelessness Is Down in California and Across the Country, Says New Federal Report](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/31/homelessness-is-down-in-california-and-across-the-country-says-new-federal-report/) - by Marisa Kendall This article was originally published by CalMatters The number of people with nowhere to call home decreased both in California and nationwide last year, according to a long-awaited federal report. The data, showing the first decrease in homelessness in years, provided fuel for activists challenging the Trump administration’s narrative that current homelessness policies are failing
- [Early In-Person Voting Expands This Weekend for June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/31/early-in-person-voting-expands-this-weekend-for-june-2-statewide-direct-primary-election/) - Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Evelyn Mendez is reminding voters that early in-person voting for the June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election expands this weekend from seven Vote Centers to 32 Vote Centers. All 32 Vote Centers will have the same hours: Saturday, May 30, to Monday, June 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/30/146771/) - Misogynistic media content can maintain and enable perceptions that lead to women having a lower status in society
- ["Moms Club" Movie to Have Premiere Screening at Sebastiani Theatre June 25](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/30/moms-club-movie-to-have-premiere-screening-at-sebastiani-theatre-june-25/) - MOMS CLUB - PREMIERE SCREENING Date: June 25, 2026 Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm (Doors at 5:15) Place: Sebastiani Theatre Tickets: $15 TICKET LINK: Moms Club | Press Democrat News Group There will be a panel with the Cast after the film with the featured moms, and Anne Nelson, award winning author and expert on
- [New California Law Bans Law Enforcement from Interfering in State Elections](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/28/new-california-law-bans-law-enforcement-from-interfering-in-state-elections/) - by Maya C. Miller This article was originally published by CalMatters aw enforcement officers will be banned from interfering with California elections under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Wednesday, just in time for the June 2 primary election. The law, which takes effect immediately, criminalizes the act of taking cast ballots from the custody
- [Lunch at the Library - June 8 - August 7, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/29/lunch-at-the-library-june-8-august-7-2026/) - Sonoma County Library will provide lunch service at eight library locations in summer 2026. Lunch is available to all children between the ages of 0-18 years. Sonoma Valley Library branch is one of the locations that will be providing lunch this summer. Please access this service if your family needs it this summer.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/29/146764/) - GLP-1 drugs may be rewiring circuits involved not only in appetite but in emotion, desire and beyond
- [Sonoma's District-Based Elections Begin in November 2026 — Find Your District Today](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/29/district-based-elections-begin-in-november-2026-find-your-district-today/) - The City of Sonoma has launched a new online District Finder tool to help residents determine which City Council district they live in as Sonoma transitions to district-based elections beginning in November 2026. Using the interactive tool, residents can enter their address to quickly identify their City Council district and learn when their district will next vote
- [Sonoma Sundays on the Plaza Starts Next Sunday, June 7!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/29/sonoma-sundays-on-the-plaza-starts-next-sunday-june-7/)
- [Gas Prices are Falling, but Will They Keep Going Down?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/29/gas-prices-are-falling-but-will-they-keep-going-down/) - From the AAA Weekly Fuel Report California’s average for a gallon of regular gasoline dropped seven cents in the past week to $6.07. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is also down, 12 cents from last week at $4.42. Crude oil prices have been going down this week amid reports of peace
- [Sonoma County’s Free Summer Lunch Program for Kids Returns for 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/28/sonoma-countys-free-summer-lunch-program-for-kids-returns-for-2026/) - As summer approaches, the Redwood Empire Food Bank is once again ensuring that no child in Sonoma County goes without a healthy meal. The annual Summer Lunch program will run from June 8 through August 7, 2026, offering free, nutritious meals for children at sites across the county. Food insecurity remains a challenge for many
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/28/146751/) - Many people believe that revoking certain microphone privileges on their phones or smart devices is enough to avoid digital surveillance; however, a new study from Germany shows that this is not the case
- [SDC Weeds Keep Growing, As Red Flag Winds Start Blowing](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/23/sdc-weeds-keep-growing-as-red-flag-winds-start-blowing/) - DGS Is Not Concerned? By David Bolling A month after the California Department of General Services (DGS) ostensibly found a way to fund an effort by the California Conservation Corps to start weed-whacking the overgrown grounds at the Sonoma Developmental Center, it became apparent that, well … they didn’t. At least not as of May
- [Announcing the Principal of Flowery Elementary School](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/28/announcing-the-principal-of-flowery-elementary-school/) - The Sonoma Valley Unified School District has announced that Jim Evans has been selected as the next Principal at Flowery Elementary School starting July 1, 2026. Mr. Evans brings deep experience in bilingual education, a strong commitment to students and families, and a genuine excitement for joining the Flowery community. Mr. Evans earned his Bachelor’s
- [Recapping SVHS 2024-2025 Sports Season](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/27/recapping-svhs-2024-2025-sports-season/) - By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor Photo above: Remy Harrison (left), who became the first Dragon swimmer to qualify for the CIF State Championship Meet, joined with teammates (left to right) Maya Garcia, Alegria Silvi and Charlotte King-Thomas - submitted photo While the Sonoma Valley High School varsity sports teams wrap up their
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/26/146743/) - They've Found Plastic Inside Women's Eggs. Microplastics have been found in ovarian follicular fluid
- [Katy Byrne: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/26/katy-byrne-here-today-gone-tomorrow/) - And Then a Poppy Blooms Death comes like a thief in the night, stealing everything you cherish. I just found out a beloved friend of 30 years passed away quickly. I was thinking it was about time we had our yearly coffee chat. I emailed and got the shocking news. Karl died after falling, a
- [Orange Lawn - An Historic Building in Armstrong Estates](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/26/orange-lawn-an-historic-building-in-armstrong-estates/) - The Sonoma Valley Historical Society has shared the history of one of Sonoma's most historic homes. Another little known National Register Property in the city of Sonoma is Orange Lawn, its building style Late Victorian Italianate. The significance is for a representative example of Italianate architecture, displaying the distinctive characteristics of that style and possessing
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/25/146735/) - There is no meaningful difference in cognitive performance between people who were fasting and people who were having regular meals
- [Vintage House Fundraiser May 30](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/25/vintage-house-fundraiser-may-30/) - Vintage House Gather in the Garden Fundraiser May 30, 11-2 Click here to order tickets.
- [Kars4Kids Ads Banned in California](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/25/kars4kids-ads-banned-in-california/) - Judge rules K4K Does False Advertising By David Bolling Kars4Kids, the New Jersey-based charity that has infected national airwaves for 20 years with a promotional jingle once described by comedian and social analyst John Oliver as “the corona virus of TV commercials,” has been banned from advertising in California by an Orange County Superior Court
- [Democracy Grows In Sonoma,  Part 2](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/25/democracy-grows-in-sonoma-part-2/) - By Jim Bohar The City Council election is scheduled for November 3, 2026 to elect one member from districts 1, 3 and 5 for four year terms to 2030. The nomination period for candidate registration is Monday, July 13, 2026 through Friday, August 7 at 5 p.m.. Note: Districts 2 and 4 have new 4
- [Steven Serafini: A Life of Family and Sports](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/23/steven-serafini-a-life-of-family-and-sports/) - Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor While settling in as the inaugural Sports Editor of the Sonoma Valley Sun, I’m steadily gaining traction to navigate the different avenues I’ll be taking in covering the sports scenes throughout the Valley of the Moon. My coverage will extend beyond Sonoma Valley High School sports to touch
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/23/146729/) - The Trump Administration Wants to Send More Shasta Lake Water to Farmers. Salmon Could Pay the Price
- [Praxis on Zoom: JEREMY LENT – The Path to Creating an Eco-Civilization - May 29](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/23/praxis-on-zoom-jeremy-lent-the-path-to-creating-an-eco-civilization/) - FRIDAY MAY 29 at 4:00 pm on zoom Tickets: $21 ($16 for Praxis members) Registration: www.praxispeace.org JEREMY LENT – The Path to Creating an Eco-Civilization Today, humanity faces an imminent choice: continue with a system built on extraction and endless growth, or reimagine civilization itself. Leading thinker, Jeremy Lent, offers that reimagination: an eco-civilization, grounded
- [A new chapter begins for FISH!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/23/a-new-chapter-begins-for-fish/) - No, you're not seeing double. FISH (Friends in Sonoma Helping) is thrilled to announce that it has acquired a new building adjacent to FISH Central (already painted to match!) This purchase reflects the significant growth and expansion seen in their services as they adapt to the evolving needs of Sonoma Valley. They will be renovating
- [Open Letter to Eric Jones](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/23/open-letter-to-eric-jones/) - Dear Mr. Jones: At a recent town hall, you pledged never to take “a dime from PACs, special interests, or lobbyists.” According to Federal Election Committee (FEC) reports, a Super PAC supporting your campaign – New Leadership Now – has spent $1.254 million on your behalf, funding mailers, television, radio and digital advertising. Much of
- [The Legal Limits of Local Land Use Planning](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/21/the-legal-limits-of-local-land-use-planning/) - By Larry Barnett The discretionary decision-making authority of jurisdictions like The City of Sonoma about local land use, particularly housing, is now severely limited by state legislation. What was once a matter of applying community sentiment, political will, and local support is now a matter of conformance with rules, regulations, and costly state mandates. Historically,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/22/146717/) - Behavioral science shows that other people’s problems rarely stay theirs forever. Here is why we avoid difficult conversations until the consequences become our own
- [Larry Barnett: Just the Right Spot ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/22/larry-barnett-just-the-right-spot/) - It was just one year ago on May 22, 2025 that Norma, my wife of fifty years, died suddenly. I’m still wrestling with the impact of that, and I expect I will for the rest of my life. In my dream world she won’t leave me alone. When we put our home of thirty years
- [Under the Sun -  Vanessa Rognlien, Executive Director](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/22/under-the-sun-vanessa-rognlien-executive-director/) - Anna Pier sat down with Vanessa Rognlien (pron."rung-lin,") in the Board Room of the Sonoma Community Center (SCC) to learn about its Executive Director, and discover some of the reasons the Center is flourishing How did you connect with the Community Center? I began as a board member, for a couple of years, working with
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/21/146710/) - Vague predictions and post hoc revisions help astrology feel meaningful, even while it fails empirical testing
- [David Bolling: Of Smashing Records, Trespass Risk, And Uncut Grass](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/21/david-bolling-of-smashing-records-trespass-risk-and-uncut-grass/) - During the Indiana chapter of my boyhood there was a deep gorge that channeled the East Fork of the Whitewater River through the middle of town. And in that gorge, on the banks of that river, there was an enormous, abandoned, multi-storied brick warehouse where, completely unknown to me, American musical history had been made.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/20/146703/) - Rights require money. Talk as much as you like about human rights, nothing will change until the architecture of global finance is reformed
- [Editorial: Budget Blues Again? ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/20/editorial-budget-blues-again/) - Bring up the budget hearings of the Sonoma City Council with an average resident of Sonoma and their eyes glaze over. Hundreds of pages long, few people have the time or interest to wade through charts and tables filled with columns of numbers. And yet, the City budget is the foundation of everything the City
- [Sonoma County Receives Clean Property Tax Audit Opinion from State](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/20/sonoma-county-receives-clean-property-tax-audit-opinion-from-state/) - The Sonoma County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office announced today that the County has received a clean audit opinion from the California State Controller’s Office following its review of Sonoma County’s property tax apportionment and allocation practices for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025. The final Controller’s Office report confirms that no audit
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/19/146697/) - Everybody knows about the decline in birthrates. Fewer people understand why—or just how significantly it could transform society in the next few decades
- [Sonoma Valley Historical Society: History of the Blue Wing Inn](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/19/sonoma-valley-historical-society-history-of-the-blue-wing-inn/) - We thought it would be a good time to talk about the history of the Blue Wing Inn as we honor May as Historic Preservation Month. When Mariano Vallejo laid out the pueblo of Sonoma according to the Laws of the Indies in 1835, the site of the Blue Wing Inn became part of Lot
- [Sonoma's Planning Commission to Hold Study Session on Sebastiani Property Development Proposal May 21](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/16/sonomas-planning-commission-to-hold-study-session-on-sebastiani-property-proposal/) - The item before the Planning Commission is for a Study Session discussion in accordance with SMC 19.52.040(B) (see PC Study Sessions Guidelines). A study session provides an opportunity for Planning Commissioners to identify potential land use issues or concerns with a proposed project. The applicant has provided a narrative and conceptual site plan that contemplates
- [Women, Longevity & Equity: A Community Conversation](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/19/women-longevity-equity-a-community-conversation/) - The Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women released a new position paper examining the growing challenges facing older women in Sonoma County, including economic insecurity, housing instability, and limited access to essential services. Shaped by lifelong inequities such as lower wages, caregiving responsibilities, and longer life expectancy, many older women struggle to access
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/18/146688/) - First impressions shape outcomes before a word is spoken—and research shows those snap judgments are far from random.
- [Larry Barnett: The Human Show](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/18/larry-barnett-the-human-show/) - World feel crazy enough for you right now? It certainly feels that way to me. It’s hard not to get caught up in all the drama and treat it like it matters; some of it is real of course, but some of it is not. The Human Show is a Samsara Studios production, a combination
- [Sonoma City Council to Review Development Applications for Three Homes on Shocken Hill](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/18/sonoma-city-council-to-review-development-applications-for-homes-on-shocken-hill/) - In 2018, the City Council denied an application on appeal for a proposed single-family home at 149 Fourth Street East, along with two other applications for Lots 227 and 228 Brazil Street. A lawsuit arose from that denial and through discussions a Settlement Agreement was entered into between the City and the Applicant, as well
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/17/146683/) - Are mental health campaigns making you anxious? Constant reminders to monitor your well-being may be causing more harm than you realize.
- [PG&E Warns of Utility Customer Scams](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/17/pge-warns-of-utility-customer-scams/) - Scams targeting utility customers continue to increase at an alarming rate. Scammers can be convincing and often target those who are most vulnerable. They also aim their scams at small business owners during busy customer service hours. However, with the right information, you can learn to detect and report these predatory scams. Scammers often: Ask
- [Sonoma Valley to Commemorate Memorial Day with Colonel Bucky Peterson, USMC (Ret.) ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/17/sonoma-valley-to-commemorate-memorial-day-with-colonel-bucky-peterson-usmc-ret/) - The Sonoma Valley community will gather on Monday, May 25, to honor the nation's fallen service members in the 68th Annual Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance, a solemn ceremony to be held at 11 a.m. at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park. Located just north of Sonoma Plaza, adjacent to the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/16/146678/) - Chris Larsen, the deep-pocketed crypto executive emerging as a force among Democratic donors in the midterms, told POLITICO he plans to boost Gavin Newsom “any way we can” in his likely 2028 presidential campaign.
- [Elevated Fire Weather Conditions This Weekend](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/16/elevated-fire-weather-conditions-this-weekend/) - A stretch of breezy to gusty weather is expected through Monday, May 18th with the strongest winds expected Saturday through Sunday night. Combined with dry vegetation and low humidity, fire weather concerns will remain elevated across inland areas. What to Expect: Gusty winds 20–35 mph across many inland areas Higher elevation and ridge gusts could
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/15/146672/) - Can you spot a liar? Our voices give away a huge amount of information with every sentence, and human beings are remarkably good at interpreting these subtleties
- [Little Gas Price Relief for Drivers as National Average Dips then Rises Again](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/15/little-gas-price-relief-for-drivers-as-national-average-dips-then-rises-again/) - While California gas prices have dropped two cents in the past week, the average for a regular gallon of gasoline in the Golden State is $6.14, which is up 26 cents from where it was a month ago and up $1.22 from a year ago. After five straight days of declines earlier this week, the
- [Youth Bands take over the Plaza this Saturday! ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/15/youth-bands-take-over-the-plaza-this-saturday/) - 2nd Annual MusicNomad's Battle of the Bands Head down to the Plaza for lunch on Saturday and catch some of Northern California's best middle and high school garage bands at the 2nd Annual MusicNomad's Battle of the Bands on Saturday, May 16 from 12 - 5 pm at the Grinstead Amphitheater. Here's the line up of competitors: Broken Headphones
- [Free Spirits Gospel Choir Spring Sing! May 16 & 17](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/14/free-spirits-gospel-choir-spring-sing-may-15/)
- [California’s New Plastic Recycling Rules Spark Fights from All Sides](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/14/californias-new-plastic-recycling-rules-spark-fights-from-all-sides/) - by Alejandra Reyes-Velarde This article was originally published by CalMatters California just gave plastic producers until 2032 to make all their packaging recyclable or compostable — the most ambitious deadline in the country. Advocates say it doesn’t go far enough. Producers say it goes too far. At least one of them is threatening to sue. The
- [Local Artists Support Vintage House](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/14/local-artists-support-vintage-house/) - Local artists are joining together to support Vintage House’s annual fundraising event Gather in the Garden. Forty artists will exhibit floral and garden-themed original art work, available to view and purchase. The exhibit will feature a silent auction and sale with proceeds benefitting Vintage House. The exhibit can be viewed at Vintage House, 264 First
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/14/146659/) - What El Niño means for fire season—and how to prepare
- [Steven Serafini: Like Yogi Berra said, "It’s déjà vu all over again."](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/13/like-yogi-berra-said-its-deja-vu-all-over-again/) - By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor It’s been 10 years since I retired from being Sports Editor at the Sonoma Index-Tribune. I withdrew from the field, so-to-speak, so I could put all my energies into the life-long passions I’m always working to fulfill – total dedication to my growing Italian-American family; and putting
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/13/146656/) - Music is something closer to a biological system, one that was shaping the human body long before we had words for what we were feeling
- [Sonoma Ready: What is your Emergency APP-titude! - May 13](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/13/sonoma-ready-what-is-your-emergency-app-titude-may-13/) - Learn how to stay connected and safe during disasters and leave with your phone ready to help! At this workshop, you will: Discover the best disaster apps for Sonoma County (SoCoAlert, Watch Duty, MyShake, and more) Get personalized help installing and setting up apps Sign up for local emergency alerts Ask your questions one-on-one In
- [A Path to Affordable Housing](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/13/a-path-to-affordable-housing/) - Decades ago, the City of Sonoma had a robust affordable housing development program. In a number of cases, the City actually purchased land up front, and then invited non-profit developers to propose projects for consideration. This indicated that the City would favor housing on that land, for that purpose, and with the necessary entitlements. The
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club - Plants of the Month: May](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/13/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-plant-of-the-month-may/) - Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future By Sedra Nathan, Hannah Aclufi, and Vincent Distrola Symbology of Plants The tradition of associating flowers with birth months dates back centuries and spans continents. In May, that tradition names designates symbolic birth flowers as • Lily of the Valley, which symbolizes humility, sweetness, and
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/12/146643/) - A meta-analysis of 52 studies found no link between testosterone levels and risk-taking
- [KSVY Radio To Host Community Media Forum](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/12/ksvy-radio-to-host-community-media-forum/) - Sonoma Valley radio station, KSVY 93.1 FM, has announced a Community Media Forum, focused on shaping the future of local media. The event follows a listener survey as part of a three-year strategic roadmap for the station. Forum organizers say the event is designed to bring community voices directly into the station’s planning process. “We’ve
- [Protect Yourself from Lyme Disease](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/12/protect-yourself-from-lyme-disease-2/) - Take Simple Steps to Prevent Tick Bites According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease remains the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Officials at the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District are reminding residents that taking simple precautions before, during, and after spending time outdoors can significantly reduce the
- [Sonoma Valley Chorale Concert - May 16, 17](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/11/sonoma-valley-chorale-concert-may-16-17/)
- [Sonoma Valley Pride 2026, June 12-14 - “We Rise With Pride” Returns This June](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/11/sonoma-valley-pride-2026-june-12-14-we-rise-with-pride-returns-this-june/) - Sonoma Valley Pride 2026, June 12-14 - “We Rise With Pride” Returns This June with a Powerful Celebration of LGBTQ+ Joy, Visibility, and Community Sonoma Valley Pride returns this June 2026 with a vibrant lineup of events celebrating LGBTQ+ pride, inclusion, and resilience in the heart of Sonoma Valley Wine Country. Building on the growing
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/11/146636/) - Bear Spray Is Banned in Every National Park in California. Here’s What to Carry Instead
- [Iconic Gardens Under New Ownership](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/08/iconic-gardens-under-new-ownership/) - By David Bolling Cornerstone Sonoma, one of the Valley’s most iconic, historic and popular properties, passed through the hands of three owners before coming to rest recently in the sympathetic and adequately endowed arms of an East Bay investment company specializing in the acquisition of distressed and bankrupt real estate. Initial reports indicate the beloved,
- [Daredevil Chicken At Home](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/11/daredevil-chicken-at-home/) - Magic Banana Hour Features Local Couple By David Bolling The title they’ve attached to their act – Daredevil Chicken – evokes a certain level of curious speculation, perhaps some confused wonder, maybe a touch of excited anticipation. Why a chicken? Why a daredevil? Sounds like a high-risk proposition. The inspiration may have come from a
- [Larry Barnett: Lessons from the Garden](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/11/larry-barnett-lessons-from-the-garden/) - For a while the idea of talking to your houseplants gained an audience. As living things, both plants and animals exist at a vibrational level, and establishing a resonance between you and your Begonia may be possible from a quantum perspective. I’ve been talking to my plants for more than fifty years; it’s another thing
- [Two Films for Children Written by Local Michael Heffler at the Sebastiani June 13](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/05/two-films-for-children-by-local-michael-heffler-at-the-sebastiani-june-13/) - “Hornwell Honeypicker, The Flying Pig” and “How Do I Get Smarter and Happier?” at The Sebastiani Theatre on June 13 at 1 pm There are lessons you can learn as a child that are well worth remembering for the rest of your life. Two animated films that will be shown at the Sebastiani Theatre on
- [Gourmet Tastes At Unity Kitchen Fundraiser](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/11/gourmet-tastes-at-unity-kitchen-fundraiser/) - Sonoma Family Meal, the Petaluma-based nonprofit that took over Sonoma’s Unity Kitchen in 2025, is hosting a spring fundraiser on May 31, supporting the Unity Kitchen’s work. The event, titled “RENEW: A Sustainable Culinary Celebration,” brings together chefs from some of Sonoma Valley’s finest restaurants to collaborate with teen culinary trainees in the creation of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/10/146628/) - A new study reveals that consuming an amount of caffeine equivalent to two cups of coffee enhances the brain’s ability to temporarily quiet its own motor signals in response to sensory input
- [Katy Byrne: Honoring Females on Mother’s Day](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/10/katy-byrne-honoring-females-on-mothers-day/) - All You Mothers "You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.” –Mary Oliver, “Wild Geese” Women rock! We’ve blasted through centuries of history. At this Mother’s Day season, let’s all honor females. We’ve stayed strong, overcoming many obstacles, inspired
- [Under the Sun: Carmen Farías, educator, dancer, and mainstay of Mexican folkloric dance in the Valley](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/10/under-the-sun-carmen-farias-educator-dancer-and-mainstay-of-mexican-folkloric-dance-in-the-valley/) - Anticipating the celebration of Mother’s Day, Anna Pier sat down to speak with 34-year-old Carmen Farías, who gracefully combines her roles as wife, mother, integral supporter of Quetzalén folkloric dance group, and educator committed to the migrant community. You were dancing at the Cinco de Mayo event in the Plaza. Yes, with the adult dancers
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/09/146623/) - California's leading Democratic candidates for governor say they know how to fix the state's housing problems. Like Gov. Gavin Newsom, they run the risk of overpromising
- [Thoughts on the Climate Crisis Champion Award](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/09/thoughts-on-the-climate-crisis-champion-award/) - By Richard Dale Dale, the Founder and Executive Director of the Sonoma Ecology Center, made these remarks at the ceremony where Congressman Mike Thompson presented him the Climate Crisis Champion Award. Thinking back on years of work that have brought this recognition, as I expect others will say, it’s not about me as much as
- [Impact100 Sonoma Grants Record $365,000 to 16 Valley-Serving Nonprofits](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/09/impact100-sonoma-grants-record-365000-to-16-valley-serving-nonprofits/) - Sonoma Family Meal Receives Multi-Year Encore Grant On Tuesday evening April 28 the women’s collective giving organization, Impact100 Sonoma, awarded $365,000 in grants — ranging in size from $50,000 to $5,000 — to 16 nonprofits addressing critical needs across the Valley - from food security to housing to mental health. One recipient, Sonoma Family Meal,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/08/146616/) - These Popular National Parks Are Teeming With Brain-Eating Amoebas. Recent research finds that Naegleria fowleri can be commonly found in recreational hot water springs
- [Allegation That ICE Detained Local Man Inside Sheriff’s Department](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/06/immigrant-rights-activists-demand-answers/) - Immigrant Rights Activists Demand Answers By Anna Pier At 10 a.m. on Monday, April 27, a group of immigrant rights activists, their supporters, and journalists, gathered for a press conference in front of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department, to hear the testimony of the sister of a young man detained on April 23 in Santa
- [Bob Edwards: Everything About Election Season](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/08/bob-edwards-everything-about-election-season/) - California‘s 2026 Election Season officially began with the arrival of the “Primary Election Offical Voter Information Guide” at every Valley household harboring a registered voter. For those not registered to vote, or just needing something to read while in detention, it’s also available on line at https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/pdf/. That rigidly nonpartisan publication from the office of
- [Student Art Show at Sonoma High - May 6-7](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/07/student-art-show-at-sonoma-high-may-6-7/) - Art Showcase, at Golten Hall, May 5, 6, and 7. All mediums, many items for sale by students. Paintings, sketching, ceramics, metal works, fabric work.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/07/146603/) - Patterns that many of us have adapted based on traumatic events can be rewired, can be changed throughout the entirety of our life experience
- [Kathleen Hill: All New Santé, SVVGA Plans, Mothers’ Day Meals, Mozaik Golden Hour ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/07/kathleen-hill-all-new-sante-svvga-plans-mothers-day-meals-mozaik-golden-hour/) - Santé’s fabulous re-do at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn A few of us were invited to sample the new experience one finds at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn – a complete re-do of Santé restaurant, both in décor and menu. When you head through the FSMI lobby, you see a seemingly much lighter set of rooms,
- [David Bolling: Crypto Corruption and Cowardly Judicial Candidates](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/07/david-bolling-crypto-corruption-and-cowardly-judicial-candidates/) - On January 17, 2025 – three days before Donald Trump was inaugurated for the second time as President of the United States, a Trump bitcoin – called a $Trump – was released in the cryptosphere, hosted on the Solana blockchain platform. One billion coins were “created” and 200 million coins were publicly released as an
- [Student Fight Disrupts Tuesday Night Market](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/07/student-fight-disrupts-tuesday-night-market/) - Sonoma Police Department Case #26-245 and #26-246 Press Release- May 6, 2026 Prepared by- Brandon Cutting, Chief of Police Last night (5/5/26) at 6:15 pm, the Sonoma Police Department started receiving 911 calls regarding a physical fight between juveniles in several locations along the east and north side of the Plaza. These calls were coming
- [Lisa Ziganti Becomes Sun Sales Manager](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/06/lisa-ziganti-becomes-sun-sales-manager/) - The Sonoma Valley Sun is excited to announce its latest team member, Lisa Ziganti, who has accepted the role of Sales Manager and will soon be introducing herself to business owners, nonprofit agencies and individuals seeking to promote their businesses, their products, their organizations and their causes. Lisa is a Sonoma resident, has lived here
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/06/146596/) - The campaign against voter ID in California is off to a slow start. Groups opposing the ballot measure say they’re waiting out a busy primary season before launching their anti-voter ID campaign
- [Reservoir Levels Are Near Normal](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/03/reservoir-levels-are-near-normal/) - Sonoma Water reports that water levels in our reservoirs are near normal levels. Lake Sonoma is 99.9% Lake Mendocino is at 80% Lake Pillsbury is at 69.1% These numbers are generally within the range of normal for this time of year. See the details at https://www.sonomawater.org/current-water-supply-levels
- [Editorial: America’s Civil War Continues and the South Is Winning ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/05/americas-civil-war-continues-and-the-south-is-winning/) - The Civil war did not end in 1868. Instead, it became a simmering ideological conflict that continues to this very day. The recent Supreme Court gutting of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the South’s latest victory, the continuing unwinding of a progressive process that addressed systemic racism. The effects of the decision are
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/05/146589/) - Successful People Fail the Most. After a setback, adopt the Hui-Chinese approach of suanli, 酸了, and move on
- [Larry Barnett: May 5, 1919](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/05/larry-barnett-may-5-1919/) - Just another day in May, and the day my father Norman was born. As it happens, he was given an unusual gift on one of his birthdays, a copy of The Globe, a New York City newspaper printed on the day of his birth. The Globe billed itself as “The oldest daily newspaper in the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/04/146582/) - Particles are nature’s smallest constituents, but that doesn’t mean they’re fundamental. So what is the Universe made of?
- [New Print Exhibit Launched on May 1 at Sonoma Community Center](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/04/new-print-exhibit-launched-on-may-1-at-sonoma-community-center/) - By Anna Pier Welcoming nearly 200 guests to the Opening Reception of the new exhibit at the Sonoma Community Center, Etched in Sonoma:A Living Legacy, curator Simon Blattner said, "Everything about this show makes me feel good." All the works exhibited were printed on the Griffin press that Blattner donated to the Community Center to
- [A “Super El Nino” May Be Coming. Here Is What It Could Mean for NorCal This Winter](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/04/a-super-el-nino-may-be-coming-here-is-what-it-could-mean-for-norcal-this-winter/) - This article was originally published by ActiveNorcal California just wrapped up a dry winter, and forecasters are already setting their sights on what comes next. The early signs are pointing toward a very strong El Nino developing by winter 2026-27, and that has real implications for Northern California’s rain season. Here is the short version
- [Workers Day Rallying Cry is Tone Deaf](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/03/workers-day-rallying-cry-is-tone-deaf/) - As an International Workers Day rallying cry, ‘‘shop local!’ seemed tone deaf at best, at worst a conscious diversion from the task at hand, presented by a group whose limited goals are Chamber of Commerce approved— “Putting all of labor’s eggs in the basket of capitalist institutions is a far cry from what’s needed right
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/03/146575/) - This year, the rise of “Ozempic breath” has gotten so bad that it’s starting to show up in market data
- [City of Sonoma Begins Historic Resources Survey and Context Statement Process](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/01/city-of-sonoma-begins-historic-resources-survey-and-context-statement-process/) - By Larry Barnett At a public gathering on April 22 at Vintage House, the City of Sonoma introduced representatives from the firm of Page and Turnbull, a full-service architecture and planning firm specializing in historic preservation, which has been selected to begin a Historic Resources Survey and Context Statement process. This effort is coincident with
- [Solomon Schocken - Pioneer Merchant of Sonoma - May 24](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/03/solomon-schocken-pioneer-merchant-of-sonoma-may-24/)
- [Glen Ellen Forum - May 4](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/03/glen-ellen-forum-may-4/)
- [Supreme Court ruling on voting won’t change California districts, but could hurt Democrats](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/02/supreme-court-ruling-on-voting-wont-change-california-districts-but-could-hurt-democrats/) - by Nigel Duara and Maya C. Miller This article was originally published by CalMatters Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling narrowing the Voting Rights Act undermines legal protections that have helped Latinos gain representation in politics, California Democrats and activists say. The case centered on the boundaries of a Louisiana congressional district. The court found by a 6-3 majority that Louisiana had
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/01/146567/) - A Massachusetts-based fusion company took another step this week in its race to become the first to get the same power fueling the sun and stars onto the US electrical grid
- [Sham Hospice Schemes Are Bilking Medicare — and Harming California Seniors](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/29/sham-hospice-schemes-are-bilking-medicare-and-harming-california-seniors/) - by Ana B. Ibarra This article was originally published by CalMatters California has emerged as the epicenter of a sweeping hospice fraud crisis, one that is costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and putting vulnerable seniors at risk. Yet years after the state acknowledged the problem, key regulatory fixes remain in limbo while state and
- [Meet Jacob Slevin - New Building Inspector for the City of Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/01/meet-jacob-slevin-new-building-inspector-for-the-city-of-sonoma/) - The City of Sonoma is pleased to welcome Jacob Slevin as the newest member of our Community Development Department, joining the Building Division as a Building Inspector. Jacob brings valuable experience to the role, having started his career with 4Leaf Inc. and working across several jurisdictions. In his new position, Jacob will help support the City’s building and safety efforts by conducting
- [Sonoma Family Meal Spring Fundraiser May 31](https://sonomasun.com/2026/05/01/sonoma-family-meal-spring-fundraiser-may-31/) - Just one month away - Join us in helping to raise funds to renew food, opportunity, and community at Unity Kitchen in Sonoma Valley. Sonoma Family Meal is expanding all our programming to our newly acquired kitchen and renewing all existing programs taking place there, and we need your support! This relaxed spring event will
- [The Second Annual MusicNomad's Battle of the Bands - May 16](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/30/the-second-annual-musicnomads-battle-of-the-bands-may-16/) - Bands for this year's competition will be announce on May 6! Stay tuned and join us for the 2nd Annual MusicNomad's Battle of the Bands on Saturday, May 16 from 12–5 pm at the Grinstead Amphitheater in Sonoma Plaza.
- [Opening Reception for Etched in Sonoma: A Living Legacy](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/30/opening-reception-for-etched-in-sonoma-a-living-legacy/) - Friday, May 1 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM This exhibition celebrates the art of etching and the vibrant community of printmakers it continues to inspire. Rooted in a tradition that values both technical precision and creative experimentation, etching has long offered artists a powerful and expressive means of working in ink and paper. At
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/30/146556/) - Human languages as disparate as English, Japanese, and Russian follow remarkably similar evolutionary paths, according to a new AI study.
- [These Are (most of) the Biggest Bills Affecting Cities in 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/30/these-are-most-of-the-biggest-bills-affecting-cities-in-2026/) - By Cal Cities Staff Lawmakers introduced nearly 1,800 bills this year. Some should sound very familiar, especially for folks who followed last year’s legislative saga. There are bills on state homelessness funding, transit-oriented development, metal theft, wildfire liability, and local coastal plans. But legislators are also focused on a whole crop of new or new-ish issues.
- [Praxis Presents Isabel Uribe Live on Zoom from Guadalajara, Mexico](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/30/praxis-presents-isabel-uribe-live-on-zoom-from-guadalajara-mexico/) - FRIDAY, MAY 29 at 4:00 pm Tickets: $16 for Praxis Members ($21 for non-members) To Register: Click Here ISABEL URIBE and the Mondragon Cooperatives of Spain Isabel Uribe, PhD, is the co-author of a seminal book about the Mondragon Cooperatives, their origin, initial visionaries and the challenges they faced and overcame. The book, Ormaetxea: A
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/29/146550/) - The power grid is breaking. Can it fix itself? A new generation of self-healing tools could make the U.S.'s aging power grid far more resilient against modern threats.
- [Under the Sun - Barbara Wells, Becoming a Curator ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/26/under-the-sun-barbara-wells-becoming-a-curator/) - Anna Pier sat down in Simon Blattner's office to talk with Barbara Wells, who since 2013 works as bookkeeper, has been immersed in the nonprofit world, and has been trained in the art of curating exhibits. First let's talk about the upcoming exhibition, "Etched in Sonoma: A Living Legacy ," that you and Simon Blattner
- [City Announces Winners of Earth Day Photo Contest](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/29/146546/) - In celebration of Earth Day, the City of Sonoma announced the winners of the 6th Annual City of Sonoma Earth Day Photo Contest, presented in partnership with the Sonoma Community Center. This year’s theme, The Power of Water, inspired 26 entries from across the community, each offering a unique perspective on how water shapes our landscapes, ecosystems, and
- [Cartoon by Hilary](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/28/cartoon-by-hilary-3/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker magazine cartoonist, humorist and author who just happens to have been born and raised in Sonoma.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/28/146544/) - Becerra’s surge draws progressive backlash in California governor’s race. Activists on the left are resurfacing past fights over immigration, oil-industry donations and healthcare as the former HHS secretary gains ground in the contest
- [Walt Williams: Living In Two Worlds](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/28/walt-williams-living-in-two-worlds/) - I live in two worlds. One side is pictures of smoldering rubble and bombed out concrete buildings in Iran, Ukraine, Gaza. The other is a 320-foot rocket hurtling into space for a trip around the moon. The first makes me sad, promotes nihilism in my students, leads to a world of hate, fear and uncertainty.
- [Spring Fling at Vintage House - May 2](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/27/spring-fling-at-vintage-house-may-2/) - Get on the good foot and come shake leg with local band ZigZag at the Vintage House this Saturday, May 2 at 6pm. There will be good food, fine wine, and great dance music. Get your tickets early as this event sold out last year! https://mynorthbaytickets.com/e/spring-fling-dance-party-2
- [Larry Barnett: Befriending Sadness](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/27/larry-barnett-befriending-sadness/) - For most of my adult life I avoided sadness. I didn’t cry much and tried to stay positive, and when trouble did arise, I’d adopt a stoic attitude and set my feelings aside. While I didn’t believe the purpose of life was to be happy, I turned away from sadness until it was irrevocably thrust
- [Now Supports Sonoma's Interim City Manager](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/27/now-supports-sonomas-interim-city-manager/) - This is the author of the letter published here criticizing the appointment of Cristine Alilovich as Sonoma City Manager. I had a very cordial meeting with her subsequent to writing the letter, and as a result, I support her, and hopefully, her appointment to City Manager on a permanent basis. The media sources I relied
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/27/146531/) - The 3 Most Common Ways We Undermine Our Happiness: Three overlooked psychological needs that profoundly shape your well-being.
- [Katy Byrne: Are We Diss–Associating?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/27/katy-byrne-are-we-diss-associating/) - Most of us have some experience of removing ourselves from reality. Maybe we lose track of time while immersed in a project. Sometimes we can’t find our sunglasses, even when they’re on top of our head! We dissociate or detach from reality in small or big ways. We disengage with others – isolate or just
- [Trashion Fashion Winners Announced](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/27/trashion-fashion-winners-announced/) - Sonoma Community Center gives awards at the Annual Trash Bash Sonoma, California. The Sonoma Community Center is pleased to announce the 2026 16th Annual Trashion Fashion Runway Show winners. Winners were chosen in youth/teen and adult categories by judges, and attendees of the shows voted for the People’s Choice Award in adult and youth categories
- [Tuesday Night Farmers Market Begins May 5](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/26/tuesday-night-farmers-market-begins-may-5/)
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/26/146515/) - The notion that people resemble chimps in any profound way is false says researcher
- [Magic Banana at Sebastiani - May 16](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/26/magic-banana-at-sebastiani-may-16/) - Hi neighbors! We’ve lived in Sonoma(unincorporated) since 2009. We perform around the world. Last year we brought it home to the Sebastiani and you sold us out. So we’re doing it again! Two shows this time, May 16th. World-class circus, comedy & chaos.
- [Josette Brose Eichar: Toxic People in Positions Of Power](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/26/josette-brose-eichar-toxic-people-in-positions-of-power/) - I graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1979 at the age of 27, with dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer. Those dreams never came true. On to Los Angeles and struggling to get into the world of film and TV. I finally gave up, becoming a teller at California Federal
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/25/146508/) - As global crises mount, religion scholar Philip P. Arnold argues the Haudenosaunee’s Great Law of Peace offers a way out of the West’s self-destructive path.
- [Unionization and Sonoma County Hospitality and Tourism](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/25/unionization-and-sonoma-county-hospitality-and-tourism/) - By Martin J. Bennett As one of Sonoma County’s largest employers and a pillar of the local economy, the hospitality and tourism industry plays a central role in the region. However, the industry is predominantly low-wage, and most employers do not provide affordable health care benefits. In 2025, the California Employment Development Department reported that
- [Bob Edwards: Drone Over Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/25/bob-edwards-drone-over-sonoma/) - It happened in broad daylight on Good Friday afternoon. Two, maybe four hundred feet above First Street East in Sonoma. A drone. Yep. Hovering. Reconnoitering the Plaza?? Sure looked like it. Small. White. Silent. Ominous. Sun twinkled off its whirling propellers. It lingered, rocking to-and-fro, as if scanning the people below. It then darted swiftly
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/24/146503/) - The octopus on your plate can feel pain, delay gratification, and probably outthink a toddler. Just something to consider before you order.
- [Ray Jacobson Exhibit at Sonoma Library - May 1](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/24/ray-jacobson-exhibit-at-sonoma-library-may-1/)
- [Madeleine Edwards: SVHS Students Share Plans For Uncertain Future](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/24/madeleine-edwards-svhs-students-share-plans-for-uncertain-future/) - By Madeleine Edwards Sun High School Reporter Each year, juniors and seniors at Sonoma Valley High School use the month of March to prepare for their futures in a variety of ways. Juniors begin to compile lists of colleges to apply to, or familiarize themselves with college essay prompts, and Seniors who applied to college
- [Horrified By Trump, Let’s Strike](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/24/horrified-by-trump-lets-strike/) - Dear World: I join you in my astonishment, horror and embarrassment after hearing the President of the United States state that, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” in reference to demands he made of Iran, a country he attacked using lies as reasoning, and without the proper channels in
- [Questionable Appointment of Interim City Manager](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/24/questionable-appointment-of-interim-city-manager/) - Once again, the Sonoma City Council has made an appointment which, at best, seems ill advised. Former San Rafael city manager Cristine Alilovich has been appointed interim Sonoma city manager following the departure of David Guhin. Ms. Alilovich departed her position as San Rafael city manager in a move described by city officials as a
- [ Sonoma Conservatory of Dance Hosts Renowned Dancers](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/24/sonoma-conservatory-of-dance-hosts-renowned-dancers/) - SCD Brings Alvin Ailey Dancers To Sonoma Sonoma Conservatory of Dance (SCD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing exceptional dance training and arts education to the Sonoma community, hosted on April 13 an exclusive workshop led by two dancers from the internationally acclaimed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. SCD welcomed company members Isaiah Day and Hannah Richardson,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/23/146492/) - There are many factors affecting dementia and, importantly, several are risk factors that we can work on
- [What It Takes to Create Affordable Housing](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/22/what-it-takes-to-create-affordable-housing/) - By Larry Barnett The City of Sonoma began its affordable housing program in 1992. At that time, annual Redevelopment Agency funding required that 20 percent of that funding be dedicated to the creation of “subsidized” housing - deed-restricted and income-qualified units, either for sale or rent - what is now referred to as Affordable Housing.
- [Stephen Serafini: Historic Boys Basketball Team Gets Hall of Fame Honors](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/23/stephen-serafini-historic-boys-basketball-team-gets-hall-of-fame-honors/) - 1993-94 Boys Had 27-3 Season By Steven Serafini Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor In my 25 years as a sports editor in the Valley (1991-2016), I was fortunate to cover and witness a host of standout Sonoma Valley High School boys and girls sports teams turn in exceptional performances and triumphant championship seasons. Though it
- [David Bolling: Welcome Weed Whackers and Welcome Onboard Steven Serafini ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/23/welcome-weed-whackers-and-welcome-onboard-steven-serafini/) - The relentless rain that is pebbling the skylight over my Glen Ellen desk is both a welcome relief and an annoying distraction. A relief because, in this climate change-driven world, fresh water becomes a more precious resource every year, and annoying because the rain was challenging the efforts of a weed-whacking crew from the California
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/22/146486/) - Nasa’s Curiosity rover finds organic molecules on Mars. Scientists think they are looking at chemical building blocks of life preserved for 3.5bn years
- [ School District Reaches Tentative Agreement with Teachers](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/20/school-district-reaches-tentative-agreement-with-teachers/) - Teachers Express Appreciation for New Superintendent Six weeks into the job, newly installed Superintendent Jason Sutter of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) sent the following message to teachers and other certificated staff, on the evening of Thursday, April 16, 2026: “The District and VMTA (Valley of the Moon Teachers Association) are pleased to
- [New May Wellness Programming Launches at Morton’s Warm Springs](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/22/new-may-wellness-programming-launches-at-mortons-warm-springs/) - Introducing Lisa Willett as Program Coordinator Morton’s Warm Springs, the historic geothermal springs nestled in Sonoma Valley’s “Valley of the Moon,” announces the launch of its May 2026 wellness programming alongside the appointment of Lisa Willett as Program Coordinator. Opening for the season in early May, the Springs will offer a thoughtfully curated series of
- [Hike at Sonoma Raceway Generates $5,000 for Sonoma's Overlook Trail](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/22/hike-at-sonoma-raceway-generates-5000-for-sonomas-overlook-trail/) - Stunning views from Sonoma Raceway with the added interaction with wooly weeders were part of a fundraiser hike for Sonoma's Overlook Trail. The trail is well used and needs maintenance each year, provided by a crew of enthusiastic volunteers. Reports are there was a 3-mile 5-mile hike followed by a lunch. A discussion of history
- [California’s Mosquito Season Is Getting Longer, Experts Warn](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/21/californias-mosquito-season-is-getting-longer-experts-warn/) - Mosquito Awareness Week (April 19–25) is an important reminder that residents need to take action to prevent mosquito-borne diseases Mosquito season may be starting earlier and lasting longer across California, raising new public health concerns for mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus. As part of Mosquito Awareness Week (April 19–25), mosquito control districts across the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/21/146474/) - More than $7 billion in cannabis tax revenue has been collected since 2018, with funds going toward research, enforcement, and community programs
- [Editorial: The Power of A Mob ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/21/editorial-the-power-of-a-mob/) - Several thousand people recently showed up locally for the No Kings III march. Motivated by concerns about the policies and governance of Donald Trump, they carried homemade signs, many quite inventive and arresting, expressing their discontent. In one sense, it was a beautiful example of freedom of expression in action, and yet in another, an
- [Announcing the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/21/announcing-the-associate-superintendent-of-educational-services/) - The announcement from the Sonoma Valley Unified School District was received yesterday. Dear SVUSD Community, As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we would like to share an important leadership update in our Educational Services division. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Christina Casillas for her service to Sonoma Valley
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/20/146470/) - Fatherhood rewires the male mind. From before their babies are born, men undergo serious hormonal changes that can powerfully influence their behaviour – with consequences for their child's wellbeing
- [Larry Barnett: Time, Karma, and Delusion](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/20/larry-barnett-time-karma-and-delusion/) - We think in linear terms, creating straight lines between cause and effect. Buddhists call it Karma. The universe, however, has no straight lines; everything in spacetime travels a curved path. Moreover, the curved paths intersect and influence each other, producing complex levels of uncertainty that we experience as ignorance. Notably, in quantum mechanics there are
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/19/146466/) - Success can feel empty for high achievers. Here’s why—and what that feeling reveals about identity, motivation, and what actually leads to fulfillment.
- [Sparse Snowpack in California Fuels Concern Over Fast-approaching Fire Season](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/19/sparse-snowpack-in-california-fuels-concern-over-fast-approaching-fire-season/) - By Rachel Becker This article was first published by CalMatters California clocked its second-worst snowpack on record Wednesday, a potentially troubling signal ahead for fire season. It’s an alarming end to a winter that saw abnormally dry conditions briefly wiped from California’s drought map in January, for the first time in a quarter-century. Though precipitation to
- [Kitchen Concert at the Community Center April 26](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/19/kitchen-concert-april-26/)
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/18/146459/) - Tom Steyer is running the most expensive campaign in America. It might win him the California governorship
- [Another Soaker Is on Its Way Beginning Sunday](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/18/another-soaker-is-on-its-way-beginning-sunday/) - Possibly a couple of inches of rain are headed to the North Bay beginning on Sunday as another low-pressure storm swings into California for two or three days.
- [Northern California Could Slide Back Into Drought by Summer, Forecasters Warn](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/17/northern-california-could-slide-back-into-drought-by-summer-forecasters-warn/) - This article was originally published by Active NorCal Northern California just shook off drought conditions entirely, but forecasters say the relief could be short-lived. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released a three-month outlook showing drought is likely to return across large portions of Northern California by late June. The Sacramento Valley and areas north of the
- [Larson Park Dedication and Celebration Sunday April 19 at 12:30](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/18/larson-park-dedication-and-celebration-sunday-april-19-at-1230/) - On behalf of Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo, we are delighted to invite you to join us this Sunday for the Larson Park Dedication and Community Celebration. Your involvement makes this occasion all the more meaningful for the Sonoma Valley community, and we sincerely appreciate your ongoing partnership and commitment. Attached you’ll find both the event flier
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/17/146452/) - Up at 3am? Many people find themselves waking at roughly the same time each night and start to wonder whether something is wrong with their sleep
- [Permit Sonoma: Special Event Permits Made Easier](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/17/permit-sonoma-special-event-permits-made-easier/) - Planning a festival, fundraiser, or community gathering in unincorporated Sonoma County is now more straightforward! The County has updated its zoning code to make event planning easier for organizers while maintaining standards that protect public safety and neighborhood quality of life. The updated ordinance formalizes existing County practices for periodic special events, while introducing a
- [Sonoma Valley: Preserving a Wildlife Corridor Webinar April 22](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/17/sonoma-valley-preserving-a-wildlife-corridor-webinar-april-22/) - Sonoma Land Trust got its start in Sonoma Valley, from a group of residents who were concerned about preserving its natural spaces. Over time, we discovered that the land in its center had become essential for the continued movement of wildlife. As part of their 50th Birthday Celebration, Stewardship Program Manager Chris Carlson will host
- [IOLERO: Ending Cooperation With ICE – A Thanks and an Ask](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/16/iolero-ending-cooperation-with-ice-a-thanks-and-an-ask/) - ICE is destroying trust in law enforcement across the country. They’ve shot and killed non-violent civilians, including a poet and a nurse in Minneapolis. They refuse to investigate those shootings, instead pronouncing immediately that no investigation is needed because the shootings were clearly justified. They’ve detained children, using them as bait to detain their parents.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/16/146446/) - The arc of human history is toward cooperation, not division. The next phase of human development could push us to a new level of global abundance
- [Cornerstone Ribbon-Cutting Marks Its Reopening April 24](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/16/cornerstone-ribbon-cutting-marks-its-reopening-april-24/) - After being bought by Ken Mattson, Cornerstone Gardens began to slip into a serious decline. Now under new ownership, it is relaunching itself and invites the community to a ribbon cutting to mark it reopening on April 24 at 4:30p.m.
- [Vintage House Benefit May 30](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/16/vintage-house-benefit-may-30/) - In the Secret Garden at the Sonoma Community Center
- [Sonoma Valley Hospital to Host Its 6th Annual Women’s Health Symposium April 30](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/14/sonoma-valley-hospital-to-host-its-6th-annual-womens-health-symposium-april-30/) - Sonoma Valley Hospital will host its 6th Annual Women’s Health Symposium on April 30, bringing together leading medical experts from our affiliate partners at UCSF, to share the latest insights on women’s health and wellness. This popular community event is designed to educate and empower women of all ages with practical information on prevention, early
- [Praxis on Zoom: John Crowley - Building Social Capital](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/15/praxis-on-zoom-john-crowley-building-social-capital/) - FRIDAY, APRIL 24 at 4:00 pm on Zoom Tickets: $21 ($16 for Praxis members) - www.praxispeace.org JOHN CROWLEY Building Social Capital: Practical Ways to Create a Sense of Belonging and Wellbeing within a Community As co-owner of Aqus Cafe in Petaluma, John Crowley has been instrumental in creating a real community hub and gathering place.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/15/146437/) - Archaeologists Unearthed a 6,200-Year-Old Megastructure. Its Purpose Is Still a Mystery
- [Springs Community Garden – Garden Beds Available!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/15/springs-community-garden-garden-beds-available/) - Springs Community Garden/Jardin Comunitario en Los Springs VIDA Cultural Arts is excited to now serve as the nonprofit steward of the Springs Community Garden at Larson Park following the park’s reopening. VIDA is an all-volunteer run organization and has been working to revitalize the garden and prepare it for community use. They look forward to
- [Swalwell’s Exit from California Governor’s Race Leaves Democratic Field in Disarray](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/15/swalwells-exit-from-california-governors-race-leaves-democratic-field-in-disarray/) - by Jeanne Kuang This article was originally published by CalMatters If voters were confused about who to support in California’s wide-open race for governor, Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct may leave them as mystified as ever. Swalwell suspended his campaign Sunday evening and resigned from Congress Monday afternoon — a swift fall
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/14/146432/) - In 1969, a controversial experiment used amphetamines to induce psychosis in healthy volunteers—changing our understanding of schizophrenia and helping shape psychiatry as we know it
- [Sonoma Hometown Band Free Concert April 19](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/14/sonoma-hometown-band-free-concert-april-19/)
- [Take the KSVY Listener Survey](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/14/take-the-ksvy-listener-survey/) - Three survey takers will win a free gift certificate just for taking the survey! Visit: www.KSVY.org KSVY is the Valley's non-profit radio station, providing entertainment, information and when emergencies arise, vital safety information.
- [Valley of The Moon Chamber Ensemble Spring Concert](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/14/valley-of-the-moon-chamber-ensemble-spring-concert/) - Spend a very pleasant afternoon sipping a delicious wine and listening to beautiful vocal music. Let's create a special moment together, one that stays with us. Our upcoming program, Songs Stay Sung: Music that Lingers in the Heart, explores the things that endure—friendship, kindness, community, and the music that carries them forward. Join the Valley of
- [Less Than 50 Days Until Stompers Baseball Is Back](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/13/less-than-50-days-until-stompers-baseball-is-back/) - Get ready for another unforgettable summer in Sonoma! The Stompers’ 2026 schedule is here, featuring a record 33 home games packed with exciting matchups, rivalry showdowns, and can’t-miss nights at Arnold Field. Be sure to circle two marquee Sonoma County clashes: June 4 vs. the Petaluma Leghorns and July 4 vs. the Novato Knicks. With
- [May Day Strong Actions in Sonoma Valley - Sponsored by Wake UP Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/13/may-day-strong-actions-in-sonoma-valley-sponsored-by-wake-up-sonoma/) - Wake Up Sonoma, Indivisible, Sonoma Valley Democrats, and other pro-democracy groups are holding a May Day Strong national event this May 1st. On May 1st we ask you to join Americans across the nation in rejecting the online oligarch retailers and keep your buying local and support our many local businesses in Sonoma Valley. Click
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/13/146418/) - The brain stores skills differently than facts, making them harder to forget
- [Larry Barnett: The Oddness of You](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/13/larry-barnett-the-oddness-of-you/) - How did you become who you are? We all start as a nameless soup of chemicals, some self-catalyzing. For all the characteristics we share as living beings, each of us are nonetheless individuals with our own quirks and characteristics. The better we get to know one another, and what we generally know about each other
- [Sonoma Valley School District Community Input Session April 14](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/13/sonoma-valley-school-district-community-input-session-april-14/)
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/12/146413/) - Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign is reeling from accusations of sexual misconduct
- [California Considering a First of its Kind Idea to Boost Factory-built Housing](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/12/california-considering-a-first-of-its-kind-idea-to-boost-factory-built-housing/) - By Ben Christopher This article was originally published by CalMatters In an effort to put a dent in the state’s housing shortage, California is considering something unprecedented: getting into the construction insurance business. Last week, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, an Oakland Democrat, and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers raised the curtain on a long-awaited package of bills meant
- [An Update from Superintendent Jason Sutter](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/12/an-update-from-superintendent-jason-sutter/) - Dear Sonoma Valley Community, I am excited and grateful to be one month into my role as Superintendent of Sonoma Valley Unified. This community means a great deal to me, and it has been a joy to return home and work alongside our students, staff, and families. Since starting on March 1, I have spent
- [May Day Art Build - April 17](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/11/may-day-art-build-april-17/) - A free event from 5:30 - 7:30 at the Sonoma Community Center. A fundraiser for the Sonoma County Sanctuary Coalition. Food and materials provided.
- [Will Shonbrun: Jarvis And Me II](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/07/will-shonbrun-jarvis-and-me-ii/) - (Editor’s note: This is the second of two reports on death row inmate Jarvis Masters, a practicing Buddhist convicted of producing a weapon used to kill a prison guard at San Quentin. Masters is a prolific author, writer, poet and media presence with a broad following of supporters who believe he was wrongfully convicted and
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/11/146407/) - How memory works – and what we can do to use it more effectively
- [Sonoma Valley Collaborative Announces the Sonoma Valley Commons - Webinar 4/17](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/09/sonoma-valley-collaborative-announces-the-sonoma-valley-commons/) - Since Sonoma Valley Collaborative launched its Housing Affordability Roadmap, we’ve been getting to work on what comes next. A big focus has been designing a Community Development Corporation. A CDC was Strategy #1 from The Roadmap: to create an organization that can plan, develop, and preserve the smaller and lower-cost homes that our community needs. We’re excited to
- [City Council to Hold Study Session on Draft Mobilehome Park Closure and Conversion Ordinance](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/11/city-council-to-hold-study-session-on-draft-mobilehome-park-closure-and-conversion-ordinance/) - The Sonoma City Council will hold a study session at their April 15, 2026, meeting, to review and discuss a draft ordinance related to mobilehome park closures and conversions. This draft ordinance reflects direction previously provided by the City Council and incorporates updates to align with recent changes in state law, including AB 2782 and SB 610.
- [Earth Day Photo Contest Now Open for Public Voting](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/11/earth-day-photo-contest-now-open-for-public-voting/) - Take a few minutes to pause and see Sonoma Valley through a different lens—public voting is now open for this year’s Earth Day Photo Contest. Centered on the theme The Power of Water, this year’s entries capture everything from still, reflective moments to the movement and energy of water across the landscape. You’ll see familiar places in
- [Spring Plant Sale April 25](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/11/spring-plant-sale-april-25/) - The Valley of the Moon Garden club will be conducting its Spring Plant Sale at Altamira Middle School, Saturday April 25 from 9am to Noon. On sale will be Veggies, Herbs, Flowers, Ornamentals, Natives, Succulents and More! Cash or checks preferred. 17805 Arnold Drive, Sonoma CA 95476
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/10/146400/) - How long is too long to be affected by trauma? Survivors are often told they should be over it—or that it wasn’t “real” trauma. But is getting over it realistic?
- [Southwest Airlines Begins Service at Sonoma County Airport](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/10/southwest-airlines-begins-service-at-sonoma-county-airport/) - Southwest Airlines began service at Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS) on Tuesday, adding a third major U.S. carrier to the regional airport and expanding flight options for residents and businesses across the North Bay. The airline will initially provide nonstop service to Burbank, San Diego, Las Vegas and Denver, while connecting Sonoma
- [E-waste Recycling Event in Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/10/e-waste-recycling-event-in-sonoma/) - Zero Waste Sonoma has partnered with Conservation Corps North Bay to conduct free electronics collection events. No appointment necessary for these events. All events held in the parking lot. For a full list of accepted and non-acceptable items, visit the web page below. April 10 -12, 2026 Friday – Sunday 9:00am – 5:00pm Location: Sonoma
- [Sonoma County Prepares for FREE Community Event Focused on Wildfire Safety & Preparedness](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/10/sonoma-county-prepares-for-free-community-event-focused-on-wildfire-safety-preparedness/) - As wildfire seasons continue to grow longer and more intense across California, Sonoma County is taking proactive steps to help residents prepare. The 2026 Sonoma County Wildfire & Earthquake Expo returns April 25–26 at the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds, with a strong focus on wildfire prevention, home hardening, and community resilience. This
- [Talk on American Fascism with Labor Leader Fred Glass - May 2](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/09/talk-on-american-fascism-with-labor-leader-fred-glass-may-2/) - What is American Fascism, and What to Do About it. What are its origins? • What do we call it, and why? • How do we organize to roll it back? Join labor historian Fred Glass for a presentation and discussion about American fascism, including how the US got to the state we are in
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/09/146391/) - The biology behind phenomena that medicine has long struggled to explain, from voodoo death to broken heart syndrome
- [Rainy Days Headed Our Way Tomorrow](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/09/rainy-days-headed-our-way-tomorrow/) - Three days of rain are on the horizon, beginning tomorrow. The forecast calls for over an inch of rain in our area, followed by temperatures in the low 40s.
- [Historic Resources Workshop - April 22](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/09/historic-resources-workshop-april-22/) - Curious about Sonoma’s history or have a story, place, or perspective you’d love to share? The City of Sonoma invites you to a Historic Resource Workshop as part of a new Citywide Historic Study and Survey Project. This effort will help us better understand how Sonoma has grown and changed over time by looking at its buildings, neighborhoods,
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "And have you been voting?"](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/09/cartoon-by-hilary-and-have-you-been-voting/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker magazine cartoonist, humorist, and book author who just happens to have been born and raised in Sonoma.
- [Authors on the Plaza - May 2](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/08/authors-on-the-plaza-may-2/) - Join us for Authors On The Plaza 11 am to 2 pm Saturday, May 2, 2026 This family-friendly free event promises you will laugh, be moved, gain insight, and be entertained while you relax on the lawn under the towering trees of the eight-acre historic Sonoma Plaza. Bring a picnic or purchase food and beverages
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/08/146378/) - Antibiotics, the drugs that made modern hospital care possible, are losing their power precisely in the institutions built around them
- [California HOA Triumphs Over ADU Law](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/08/california-hoa-triumphs-over-adu-law/) - by Ben Christopher This article was originally published by CalMatters Adam Hardesty fought the HOA and the HOA won. In a legal decision issued Friday afternoon, a San Diego County judge ruled against the Carlsbad condo owner who tried to convert his garage into a rental unit over the objections of his homeowners association. The ruling
- [Celebrating Sonoma’s 2026 Treasure Artist, Ada Limón.](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/08/celebrating-sonomas-2026-treasure-artist-ada-limon/) - The City of Sonoma and the Cultural and Fine Arts Commission invite the community to a special evening celebrating Sonoma’s 2026 Treasure Artist, Ada Limón. April 16, 2026 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.Sonoma Plaza, #1 The Plaza This free community event will begin with a formal recognition program at the Grinstead Amphitheater, followed by a casual, mixer-style reception
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/07/146374/) - Is a new weight-loss drug making people fall out of love?
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/06/146361/) - California’s Coastal Birds Are Dying in Unusual Numbers and Wildlife Officials Finally Know the Cause
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club: April Flowers of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/07/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-april-flowers-of-the-month/) - Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future Hannah Aclufi, Vincent Distrola, Hannah Aclufi, and Sedra Nathan The winter rains have fully subsided, and Sonoma County’s blooms are starting to show off. While we still may get April flowers, there are an abundance of flowers out right now! Traditionally, April is associated
- [Sonoma's Community Radio Celebrates 22nd Birthday](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/06/sonomas-community-radio-celebrates-22nd-birthday/) - By Anna Pier KSVY (91.3FM), the Sonoma Valley's own radio station, celebrated 22 years of serving the community with a grand all-day open house on April 1. Over 150 people, including radio hosts and guests, City Council members, and other interested community members visited the studio at 680 W. Napa. The parking lot adjacent hosted
- [The Perfect Storm: Multiple Developments Threaten Fire Safety](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/04/the-perfect-storm-multiple-developments-threaten-fire-safety/) - Risky Evacuations in the Valley of the Moon By Carolyn M. Scott Highway 12, the scenic route that slices through our Valley, is essentially a rural road. During commute hours, it requires patience; under smoke-filled skies, it requires a miracle. As five major developments converge on the Valley of the Moon, the miracle we need
- [Larry Barnett: My Latest Remodel ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/06/larry-barnett-my-latest-remodel/) - In preparing to sell my home of thirty years, my real estate agent advised me to update it. More than just a touch up, it was more of a modest remodel that took considerable effort and expense. It was worth it; the house sold within one day of being listed, but this is not the
- [Bob Edwards: Middle East War # 4,163,79](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/06/bob-edwards-middle-east-war-416379/) - Waiting For Iran War Memorial As we go to press, a sizable segment of the population is gathered around open bottles of refreshments to analyze and debate America’s latest chest-thumping, bombs-bursting-in-air excursion and/or war in (where else?) the Middle East, a place revered by the religiously afflicted as “The Holy Land.” Naturally, one of the
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: Josette and Dave’s Excellent Vacation](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/06/josette-brose-eichar-josette-and-daves-excellent-vacation/) - I first began writing about LeFever-Mattson in 2021. My husband Dave and I began our amateur investigation of Ken and Stacy Mattson in about 2019. Others were afraid to join us, afraid Mr. Big Bucks Mattson would sue them. That changed at the end of 2021, when those that were not afraid, formed Wake Up
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/05/146354/) - How Native Americans shaped gambling and probability long before the Old World
- [Katy Byrne: IBS or BS?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/05/katy-byrne-ibs-or-bs/) - My stomach’s been off lately. I’m not sure if it's IBS, or the BS of politics. I suppose doctors will probe me and figure out if I’m dying or not. I’m not in pain, just sluggish, with indigestion. I’ve so far had great luck with shifting my beliefs and getting well again. As a result,
- [Loretta Carpio Carr: Giving of Your Heart, One-by-one](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/05/loretta-carpio-carr-giving-of-your-heart-one-by-one/) - Along with the rising cost of gasoline, insurance, groceries, water, gas and electricity, and taxes, I have noticed the increase in ticket costs to attend fundraisers for local nonprofits. While I’d like to support community groups, I can’t afford the $150, $250 or $400 price to get in – and that’s for one person. So
- [Cancer Support Sonoma and Bay Area Cancer Connections Integrative Wellness Event](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/04/cancer-support-sonoma-and-bay-area-cancer-connections-integrative-wellness-event/) - Featuring nationally recognized integrative oncology expert Donald I. Abrams, MD, of UCSF Cancer Support Sonoma (CSS) and Bay Area Cancer Connections (BACC) will host Integrative Wellness: A Day of Care, Connection, and Renewal, featuring Donald I. Abrams, M.D., a nationally recognized leader in integrative oncology, who will speak on integrative approaches to cancer care. This community event
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/04/146346/) - Research shows high-quality listening can move both speakers and listeners, sometimes all the way to love
- [Walt Williams: SONOMAWOOD: the Sequel](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/04/walt-williams-sonomawood-the-sequel/) - By Walt Williams It’s story time at Creekside High School. No, we are not Peter Hansen’s SVHS film program producing and inspiring over 20 years of filmmakers (The final student show comes to the Sebastiani Theatre April 3). And no, there was not a a crowd of inspired students installing the SONOMAWOOD sign a week
- [Is the Fire Next Time Waiting to Happen?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/02/is-the-fire-next-time-waiting-to-happen/) - SDC Fuel Load Grows Rapidly But Who Will Cut It Down By David Bolling One year ago – in April of 2025 – the California Department of General Services (DGS) announced it would soon cease funding the “warm shutdown” of the Sonoma Developmental Center’s 180-acre campus in Glen Ellen. The “warm shutdown” was understood to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/03/146341/) - Scientists have invented a 'super' supercapacitor made from bourbon stillage that stores 25 times more energy than current devices
- [Kathleen Hill: New Smash, Goodbye Sonoma Eats and Starling, Easter Specials and the Shame of César Chávez           ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/03/new-smash-goodbye-sonoma-eats-and-starling-easter-specials-and-the-shame-of-cesar-chavez/) - Smash restaurant to open on Sonoma Plaza The Glen Ellen Star–Stella team will open their new Smash restaurant on the ground floor of Taub Family Outpost at the corner of First Street West and West Napa Street. Much lauded chef Ari Weiswasser, his wife Erinn Benziger, and Ashley and Spencer Waite will feature smashed burgers,
- [Stunning Ballet Honors Mexican Neighbors ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/03/stunning-ballet-honors-mexican-neighbors/) - By Anna Pier Por la Luz de la Luna (By the Light of the Moon) is a must-see production of Sonoma Dance Conservatory's original ballet, celebrating the beauty and richness of the Mexican heritage and honoring the Mexican-American experience. This unique ballet brings to the stage of the Sebastiani Theatre an extraordinary collaboration of classical
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/02/146334/) - Statewide, California's snowpack sits at just 18 percent of average for early April
- [Sonoma Historical Society - Mountain Cemetery Tour April 12](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/02/sonoma-historical-society-mountain-cemetery-tour-april-12/)
- [Editorial: Gaming Healthcare ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/01/editorial-gaming-healthcare/) - Supporting local independent businesses has always been promoted here. Our local businesses keep money flowing within our community instead of transferring it out of town, or even out of state. And yet, when it comes to healthcare, keeping things local is harder than ever. At present, three major companies control an essential part of our
- [David Bolling: WUI Risks and a Forest of Uncut Grasses](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/02/david-bolling-wui-risks-and-a-forest-of-uncut-grasses/) - The cover on this issue of the Sun caused some discomfort, among our own staff. Too sensational, too scary, too much out of context. All of that is to some extent true. But in my view necessary. In October, 2017, the Nuns fire burst out of Nuns Canyon, roared across Highway 12 and consumed a
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/01/146326/) - By 2050, the number of people aged 65 and older will more than double to 1.5 billion from 703 million today
- [Thousands Turn Out for No Kings 3 March in Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/29/thousands-turn-out-for-no-kings-3-march-in-sonoma/) - Photos by Anna Pier
- [Under the Sun: David Seyms - Youthful Director of Vintage House](https://sonomasun.com/2026/04/01/under-the-sun-david-seyms-youthful-director-of-vintage-house/) - Meeting with Anna Pier just after the Friday Soup’s On, 44-year-old David Seyms was full of enthusiasm for the weekly event, and for the many programs under his direction as part of his work as Executive Director of Vintage House. Talk about the Friday Soup’s On. This is Sonoma, so of course we are able
- [On Barnett's "Losing the Moral High-Ground"](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/31/on-barnetts-losing-the-moral-high-ground/) - I’m afraid that “America” no longer means what it used to and “American exceptionalism” now means something (exceptionally) different. That we elected “it” twice (maybe) and that ANYONE still thinks it’s good for anything means that “shining city on a hill” has faded into history, if it was ever actually real. Mark Williamson, Sonoma
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/31/146319/) - What would it mean for rivers, forests, and animals to have legal rights?
- [We Have the Power to Create Change](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/31/we-have-the-power-to-create-change/) - (Editor’s note: Madeleine Edwards is Editor of Dragon’s Tale, the Sonoma Valley High School student news site. She is also a high school intern for the Sonoma Valley Sun. These are the remarks she delivered at the March 28 No Kings protest in Sonoma.) My name is Madeleine and I'm a student at Sonoma Valley
- [April 24 Blood Drive Offers Rare Opportunity to Donate Locally](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/31/april-24-blood-drive-offers-rare-opportunity-to-donate-locally/) - On Friday, April 24, women’s collective giving organization Impact100 Sonoma will team up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive at the Sonoma Community Center, Room 110, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event continues a biannual partnership that began in 2022 and offers a rare opportunity to donate blood in
- [Valley of the Moon Music Festival April 30](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/31/valley-of-the-moon-music-festival-april-30/) - Charmian’s Circle will present a special concert by the Valley of the Moon Music Festival at the House of Happy Walls Museum at Jack London State Historic Park on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The program will feature works by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904), performed by Valley of the Moon Music Festival Directors and Founders, cellist Tanya
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/30/146313/) - Quantum entanglement may be the underlying fabric from which spacetime itself emerges
- [Chamber's LocalFest to Feature Local Entrepreneurs, New Products and Services](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/30/chambers-localfest-to-feature-local-entrepreneurs-new-products-and-services/) - The Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce invites the community to attend LocalFest 2026, an interactive showcase highlighting Sonoma Valley’s newest businesses and nonprofit organizations. This lively, walk-through event offers a chance to meet local entrepreneurs, discover new products and services, and connect with community organizations working to make a difference in Sonoma Valley. Exhibitors will represent
- [Larry Barnett: Losing the Moral High-Ground](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/30/losing-the-moral-high-ground/) - America’s current strategy of dominance now explicitly includes removing leaders of other countries by force or outright killing them. Killing political leaders used to be called assassination, a widely condemned practice. We used to place such brutality in a low moral category, even when it felt satisfying to see someone considered evil brought to justice.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/29/146308/) - Sex robots would constitute yet one more example of what evolutionary psychologists call a supernormal stimulus
- [Sonoma Botanical Garden presents: Spirit Guides](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/29/sonoma-botanical-garden-presents-spirit-guides/) - Sonoma Botanical Garden (SBG) continues its now annual tradition of presenting monumental works of art within its forests and fields with Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles, on view April 10 through September 7, 2026. Created by the workshop of Mexican artists Jacobo and María Ángeles, brightly colored and richly patterned
- [Want government records? This California lawmaker wants you to pay more for them](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/27/want-government-records-this-california-lawmaker-wants-you-to-pay-more-for-them/) - by Yue Stella Yu This article was originally published by CalMatters Want to know what your government is up to? Be prepared to pay up. A California state lawmaker wants to let public agencies charge an unspecified, uncapped fee if it takes their workers more than two hours to search for records to fulfill a public
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/28/146299/) - A Snorkeling Biologist Just Captured Something Never Before Photographed in a Northern California Creek
- [Public Input Requested on City of Sonoma Fee Study](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/28/public-input-requested-on-city-of-sonoma-fee-study/) - At their meeting on March 24, 2026, the City of Sonoma’s Finance Committee received a presentation from Matrix Consulting Group and City staff on a comprehensive Citywide Fee Study and Draft Master Fee Schedule. The study evaluates the cost of providing services across multiple departments, including Building, Cemetery, Finance, Planning, Police, Public Works, and Special
- [Sonoma County Highlights Earthquake Preparedness at 2026 Wildfire & Earthquake Expo](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/28/sonoma-county-highlights-earthquake-preparedness-at-2026-wildfire-earthquake-expo/) - Sonoma County is taking a powerful step toward community readiness with the 2026 Sonoma County Wildfire & Earthquake Expo, a two-day event focused on strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience. Taking place April 25–26, 2026, at the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds, the Expo will highlight earthquake preparedness in recognition of Earthquake Preparedness Month
- [Sonoma Valley Library to Feature Artist Kathleen Truax](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/28/sonoma-valley-library-to-feature-artist-kathleen-truax/) - The Friends of the Sonoma Valley Library are pleased to feature Kathleen Truax in the April Artist Showcase. Ms Truax's painting style ranges from abstraction to realism. The subject material is unlimited, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits, figures, and still life. She is especially drawn to painting water. A highlight of her artistic life is having
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/27/146291/) - A small but growing body of research is finding that female psychopaths might be more common than we thought
- [Praxis Program Online: Peace Journalism Pioneer Antonio C.S. Rosa](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/27/praxis-program-online-peace-journalism-pioneer-antonio-c-s-rosa/) - FRIDAY, APRIL 3 at 11:00 am (Pacific Daylight Time) - on Zoom Live from Porto, Portugal Registration: $16 for Praxis members ($21 for non-members) To Register, Click Here ANTONIO C.S. ROSA Antonio C.S. Rosa is a pioneer in Peace journalism and is the Editor and Co-founder with Norwegian peace negotiator, Johan Galtung, of TRANSCEND Media Service. TRANSCEND is an online,
- [City Council Selects Interim City Manager; Recruitment Process to Begin](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/25/city-council-selects-interim-city-manager-recruitment-process-to-begin/) - The Sonoma City Council has selected Cristine Alilovich to serve as Interim City Manager, with her employment agreement scheduled for consideration at the March 30, 2026, City Council meeting. If approved, Ms. Alilovich is expected to begin her role on April 6, 2026. The interim appointment will remain in effect until a permanent City Manager
- [Treasure Artist Reception Honoring Ada Limón – April 16, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/26/treasure-artist-reception-honoring-ada-limon-april-16-2026/) - The City of Sonoma and the Cultural and Fine Arts Commission invite the community to a special evening celebrating Sonoma’s 2026 Treasure Artist, Ada Limón. April 16, 2026 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.Sonoma Plaza, #1 The Plaza This free community event will begin with a formal recognition program at the Grinstead Amphitheater, followed by a casual, mixer-style reception
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/26/146283/) - For the first time in more than a century, young Chinook salmon are swimming in the tributaries of Upper Klamath Lake
- [City of Sonoma Launches Inaugural Earth Day at the Sonoma Community Center's Annual Trash Bash Event](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/26/city-of-sonoma-launches-inaugural-earth-day-at-the-sonoma-community-centers-annual-trash-bash-event/) - The Sonoma Community Center, in partnership with the City of Sonoma, invites the community to a special joint celebration on Saturday, April 25, bringing together the beloved Trash Bash event and the City’s Inaugural Earth Day. The free community gathering will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Center, 276 East Napa
- [Kathleen Hill: "Smash" to open on Sonoma Plaza](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/24/smash-to-open-on-sonoma-plaza/) - The Glen Ellen Star-Stella team will open their new "Smash" on the ground floor of Taub Family Outpost at the corner of First Street West and West Napa Street. Much lauded chef Ari Weiswasser, Erinn Benziger, and Ashley and Spencer Waite will feature smashed burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, crispy fries, and shakes of all kinds,
- [Under the SUN: Cristina Topham - Chef and Owner of Spread Kitchen, On A Culinary Odyssey](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/21/under-the-sun-cristina-topham-chef-and-owner-of-spread-kitchen-on-a-culinary-odyssey/) - Talk about your Lebanese heritage. I'm third-generation Lebanese. My Lebanese family was from LA and Brooklyn. The families knew each other in Beirut. My maternal grandparents' marriage was essentially "arranged" – not formally, but their parents introduced them, and there was some heavy pushing. My grandfather drove out to Brooklyn for the wedding. The reception
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/25/146279/) - Sierra Snowmelt Is Running Two Months Early and Northern California Water Managers Are Racing to Keep Up
- [Mental Health and Homelessness Services Expand in Sonoma County Under Measure O](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/25/mental-health-and-homelessness-services-expand-in-sonoma-county-under-measure-o/) - Access to mental health care, substance use treatment and homelessness services has expanded across Sonoma County as voter-approved Measure O approaches the midpoint of its 10-year term, according to a new report presented today to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Approved by 68 percent of voters in November 2020, Measure O established a quarter-cent
- [Volunteers Honored at Catalyst Fund's Annual Star Volunteer Awards](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/25/volunteers-honored-at-catalyst-funds-annual-star-volunteer-awards/) - The Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund hosted its annual Sonoma Valley Star Volunteer Awards at Vintage House on Saturday, March 21. Nearly 300 guests were in attendance to celebrate 51 Star Volunteers representing 47 nonprofit organizations serving Sonoma Valley. Each Star Volunteer received a commemorative trophy presented by the Catalyst Fund, and Congressman Mike Thompson and
- [Sonoma Valley Sun Announces Its New Classified Ads Service](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/24/sonoma-valley-sun-announces-its-new-classified-ads-service/) - Promoting your garage sale, offering your services, finding a place to rent, and getting a job just got easier. The Sonoma Valley Sun newspaper has just launched its new Classified Ads service, which offers ads that appear both online and in print for one low price! “We announced the idea at one of our fund
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/24/146271/) - The allegations against Chavez left California's Democratic power structure grappling with how to proceed
- [Local Nonprofits Can Now Apply for Funding from the City of Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/24/local-nonprofits-can-now-apply-for-funding-from-the-city-of-sonoma/) - The City of Sonoma is now accepting applications for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Discretionary Funding. Local nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations may request up to $3,000 to support civic, cultural, arts, educational, and community programs that benefit Sonoma Valley residents. This funding program supports initiatives that strengthen community connections, expand recreational and cultural opportunities, and enhance quality
- [April 24 Blood Drive at Sonoma Community Center Offers Rare Opportunity to Donate Blood Locally](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/24/april-24-blood-drive-at-sonoma-community-center-offers-rare-opportunity-to-donate-blood-locally/) - On Friday, April 24, women’s collective giving organization Impact100 Sonoma will team up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive at the Sonoma Community Center, Room 110, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event continues a biannual partnership that began in 2022 and offers a rare opportunity to donate blood in
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/23/146266/) - RFK, Jr. and the Trump administration’s political purge of scientists echoes the darkest days of the McCarthy period
- [Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley Announces Spring 2026 Community Grants Cycle](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/23/rotary-club-of-sonoma-valley-announces-spring-2026-community-grants-cycle/) - The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley has opened its 2026 spring community grants cycle for local education and nonprofit organizations. “In 2025, our club awarded over $120,000 in grants to local groups, including the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma Splash, Sonoma Overnight Support, Care Partners Initiative, Food For All, Music In Place,
- [Fireside Chat with Sally Kohn at Sebastiani Theatre - No Hate](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/23/fireside-chat-with-sally-kohn-at-sebastiani-theatre-no-hate/) - Friday, April 24 5:30 PM–7:00 PM Doors open at 5:00 PM Sebastiani Theatre - Sonoma Valley TICKET LINK: Fireside Chat with Sally Kohn - No Hate | Press Democrat News Group Taken from Sally Kohn Website info: ABOUT — SALLY KOHN — Media and Public Speaking Coach Sally Kohn, author of The Opposite of Hate, is coming
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/22/146260/) - The benefits and risks of alcohol consumption depend upon the dose, your genes, your sex, and your state of health.
- [Record heat, melting snow: What does it mean for California’s reservoirs?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/22/record-heat-melting-snow-what-does-it-mean-for-californias-reservoirs/) - by Rachel Becker This article was originally published by CalMatters A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack. Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the state needs the
- [Larry Barnett: The Agony and the Ecstasy ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/22/larry-barnett-the-agony-and-the-ecstasy/) - When you live with and love someone for 50 years, you get at all: the fullness of youth, the blossoming of middle age, the challenges of getting old, memories of tenderness, vitality, decline, joy and sorrow. I am a paternal type, a combination of care and anxiety that began in my relationship with my little
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/21/146255/) - Synesthesia may explain why some people can control their dreams, revealing a surprising link between perception and lucid dreaming.
- [Katy Byrne: Boomers - The Juice is waiting for you](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/21/katy-byrne-boomers-the-juice-is-waiting-for-you/) - Ageing in a Trump world - it’s a double whammy. Getting old is weird. It’s odd facing the unknown every day. What does this lump or bump mean? Aging is almost as unpredictable as Donald Trump. We boomers have a lot to give now, with accumulated insight, history and power. We know about war and
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/20/146249/) - Bitch: a history - The word can morph from noun to verb to adjective, from dog to human, from female to male. What will it do next?
- [Will Shonbrun: Meet Jarvis Masters](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/20/will-shonbrun-meet-jarvis-masters/) - His name is Jarvis Masters, and he has been on Death Row since 1990 for a crime he did not commit. Jarvis writes, “When I think about the fact that society, a nation, has sentenced me to death, all I can do is turn inside myself, to the place in my heart that wants so
- [Bob Edwards: American Royalty](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/20/bob-edwards-american-royalty/) - Many hereabouts are looking forward to the “No Kings” demonstrations scheduled nationwide for March 28. Billed as a protest against our President, his policies, behaviors, attitude, appearance and/or very existence, the day is eagerly anticipated by millions of Americans outraged at our nation’s current state of affairs. Scrubbed of obscenities, the popular sentiment can be
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/19/146244/) - California lawmakers push to strip Cesar Chavez’s name from state holiday
- [Judge Greenlights Lawsuit Challenging SDC Process](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/18/sonoma-next-100-sdc-suit-against-dept-of-general-services-can-proceed-court-decides/) - Sonoma Next 100 Suit Can Proceed to Trial By David Bolling A Sonoma County Superior Court judge handed down a crucial decision on March 11 which protects a lawsuit that could dramatically affect the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) in Glen Ellen. The ruling, by Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Pat Broderick, over
- [Sebastiani Theatre Is On A Roll](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/19/sebastiani-theatre-is-on-a-roll/) - Gala Auction Event Is April 11 The Sebastiani Theatre, Sonoma’s iconic landmark, cultural/creative beating heart, defacto Daycare Center Supreme, progenitor of multiple generations of creative talent, the first legitimate stage any budding thespian, musician, singer, orator, dancer, or soon-to-be-macabre-Halloween Ghoul living in or near Sonoma will stand on, the communal corpus of Sonoma’s collective soul
- [Lila Downs Shares Stage with Local Folklórico Quetzalén](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/19/lila-downs-shares-stage-with-local-folklorico-quetzalen/) - Grupo Folklórico Quetzalén had the opportunity to share the stage with Latin Grammy Award winner and cultural ambassador of Oaxaca, Lila Downs, during her concert at the Green Music Center on Saturday, March 7. The group expressed gratitude for the opportunity to perform alongside an artist of such talent, widely admired and loved within the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/18/146236/) - Mathematics is an abstract system of logic and deduction, able to model physical phenomena. Why should such a system be so universally applicable to the reality around us?
- [Progress for People with Rare Diseases](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/18/progress-for-people-with-rare-diseases/) - Ava, Olivia, and Landon Langenhop were all born with a rare and life-threatening immune disorder called severe leukocyte adhesion deficiency-I, or LAD-I. This rare genetic condition makes them at risk of near-constant bacterial and fungal infections, and survival beyond childhood is rare without treatment. In 2020, an investigational gene therapy in an international clinical trial
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/17/146231/) - El Niño Could Return This Summer. Here’s What It Might Mean for California
- [Editorial: Council Goal Setting and Affordable Housing ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/17/editorial-council-goal-setting-and-affordable-housing/) - At their annual goal setting meeting, the Sonoma City Council once again “reaffirmed its commitment to addressing housing affordability and availability in Sonoma.” For many years creating more affordable housing has been on the City Council’s list of goals, but not much has been done to further the effort. We don’t expect it to change
- [Objects to School Board Decisions](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/17/objects-to-school-board-decisions/) - I am writing to share my concerns about the school board’s 4-1 vote to approve Sonoma’s 3rd charter school and the effects it will have on our school district as a whole. The first being the gutting of our SVUSD teaching staff, including 12 elementary union teacher layoffs, 4 of which will be at El
- [Will Cold and Hot Wars Ever End?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/16/will-cold-and-hot-wars-ever-end/) - By Georgia Kelly Editor’s Note: While Georgia Kelly has committed much of her life to the admirable effort of promoting dialogue, discussion and citizen diplomacy to the cause of global peace, this article does not reflect the views of the Sonoma Valley Sun’s Editorial Board. And we feel compelled to take exception to the assertion
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/16/146226/) - Ancient Dogs Started Diversifying 11,000 Years Ago, Long Before the Modern Breeds We Know Today
- [Larry Barnett: I Lost a Fingernail](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/16/larry-barnett-i-lost-a-fingernail/) - It happens when you hit the tip of your index finger hard with a hammer. It hurts like hell immediately, of course, and you know you’re in for trouble. Then it turns red and begins pulsating. The nail quickly gets discolored as blood seeps under it. And it hurts for days. Within a week or
- [SV Historical Society Presents CW Bayer Presentation About Capt. William Smith](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/16/sv-historical-society-presents-cw-bayer-presentation-about-capt-william-smith/) - Wednesday, March 18 at the Sonoma Community Center, 5p.m.
- [Hot Weather Arrives This Week](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/15/hot-weather-arrives-next-week/) - It will seem like spring never happened next week as we move into a period of summer-like temperatures. A high of 90 degrees is forecast for Friday, and the preceding days will be almost as hot. Get ready! Stay hydrated, check your irrigation systems, and don't forget your sunscreen.
- [3RD Annual Sebastiani Theatre Gala!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/15/3rd-annual-sebastiani-theatre-gala/) - “THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD” An immersive fundraising experience in support of the Sebastiani Theatre. Saturday, April 11th, 2026 Doors | 5:30 PM Show & Auction | 6:00 - 9:00 PM General Admission & VIP ON SALE NOW - CLICK HERE Live performances by: Hosts Liza Colby & Kia Warren of New York City's SUSU
- [Local Botanist Bill McNamara Reading New Poems](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/15/local-botanist-bill-mcnamara-reading-new-poems/) - Wednesday, March 18th, Readers’ Books hosts Bill McNamara as he recites and discusses the poetry from his latest collection, Before Tomorrow. There will be a 5:30 reception followed by the reading at 6:00 p.m. Before Tomorrow is a unique collection of poems that follows a solitary man as he guides the reader through an exploration of nature and its
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/14/146212/) - Campaign representatives for two Democratic lawmakers said they’d return campaign donations from Flock amid concerns that Flock’s data could be accessed by ICE investigators
- [Voter ID Could Be Headed to the California Ballot](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/14/voter-id-could-be-headed-to-the-california-ballot/) - by Nadia Lathan This article was originally published by CalMatters Not long after Steve Clarke found out there was a push to require voter ID at the polls, he began canvassing for signatures in Sacramento. Many of the residents he encountered were angry, Clarke said. He began volunteering for Reform California, the group behind the initiative,
- [New Gastroenterology Services Coming to Sonoma Valley Hospital](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/14/new-gastroenterology-services-coming-to-sonoma-valley-hospital/) - Dr. Patrick Okolo anticipates opening his gastroenterology clinic in April, with endoscopy services expected to begin in May. This expansion will increase access to digestive health care and colorectal screening services for Sonoma Valley residents. Recognized for Quality Performance For the second consecutive year, Sonoma Valley Hospital has been recognized as a Top Performer in
- [SVUSD to Review Campus Flag Practices in June Board Meeting](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/13/svusd-to-review-campus-flag-practices-in-june-board-meeting/) - Sonoma Valley Unified School District announced today that the Board of Trustees will place the topic of campus flag practices on the agenda for discussion at a Board meeting in June. The timing of the discussion will allow Superintendent Jason Sutter the opportunity to continue learning about the district and to study the issue more
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/13/146207/) - Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili explores why our sense of time may be incredibly misleading, including the idea that past, present, and future might all exist at once
- [Ada Limón Presents New Book at Little Theater ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/13/ada-limon-presents-new-book-at-little-theater/) - Thursday, April 2nd, at 7:30 p.m., Readers’ Books hosts Ada Limón as she launches her newest work, Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry. An extension of her final lecture as Poet Laureate, this slim but impactful book explores the importance of poetry and its ability to soothe and transform. While delivering a powerful message,
- [Music In Place Mozart to Miles April 11](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/13/music-in-place-mozart-to-miles-april-11/) - To order tickets, CLICK HERE
- [Under the Sun: Gary Edwards, Sonoma's New Alcalde ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/22/under-the-sun-gary-edwards-sonomas-new-alcalde/) - Gary Edwards was recently selected by the City Council and past Alcaldes to be the honorary mayor of Sonoma, the 2026 "Alcalde" (Spanish for mayor). Anna Pier talked with the 66-year-old tireless volunteer about how he got to Sonoma, why he cares so deeply about it, and his understanding of the community. When did you
- [Enter Sonoma’s 6th Annual Earth Day Photo Contest](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/11/enter-sonomas-6th-annual-earth-day-photo-contest/) - The City of Sonoma, in partnership with the Sonoma Community Center, invites photographers of all ages to participate in the 6th Annual Earth Day Photo Contest. This year’s theme, “The Power of Water,” encourages participants to capture the ways water shapes life and landscapes in Sonoma Valley. From misty vineyards and flowing creeks to reflective ponds and dramatic
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/12/146198/) - No other American demographic group is turning to cannabis more than our seniors.
- [Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/12/household-hazardous-waste-collection-event/) - Zero Waste Sonoma is hosting a free HHW Collection Event for Sonoma County residents. Appointments are required, and the exact event location will be emailed to you with your confirmation. Date/Time: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 • 4:00–8:00 PM Appointment required: Schedule at least 24 hours in advance Capacity: Limited to 80 appointments/participants Email note: Comcast email addresses may bounce—please use a different email address, or call
- [Looking for Work? Explore your career possibilities with the County of Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/12/looking-for-work-explore-your-career-possibilities-with-the-county-of-sonoma/) - Job openings are also updated weekly on the Job Line, (707) 565-2803. Applications can be submitted online. Paper applications and job announcements are available in the hallway of the Administration Building at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA or you may receive them by mail if you contact HR reception at (707) 565-2331. More information, training dates, and locations
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/11/146193/) - Republican Steve Hilton is consolidating GOP support, decreasing the likelihood of a Democratic lockout, according to a new poll by POLITICO and its partners.
- [Praxis Zoom Event - The Russo-Ukraine War: Follies of Empire](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/11/praxis-zoom-event-the-russo-ukraine-war-follies-of-empire/) - SPECIAL EVENT! THURSDAY, MARCH 19 at 11:00 am (PDT) on Zoom. Live From Canterbury, England Registration: $16 for Praxis members ($21 non-members) CLICK HERE RICHARD SAKWA The Russo-Ukraine War: Follies of Empire Richard Sakwa's latest book, The Russo-Ukraine War: Follies of Empire, (pub. March 20, 2026) will be the topic of our discussion. Sakwa's books are exceptionally
- [California has 40,000 affordable housing units ready to break ground. One setback is holding them up: Money](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/09/california-has-40000-affordable-housing-units-ready-to-break-ground-one-setback-is-holding-them-up-money/) - by Ben Christopher This article was originally published by CalMatters The apartment building planned on East Morris Avenue in Modesto is exactly the kind of thing that California’s political leaders want to see a whole lot more of: The project promises 44 units of affordable housing — half reserved for people without homes. It’s received zoning
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/10/146188/) - Study Finds Dangerous Fire Weather Is Increasing, Raising Concerns for Northern California
- [Larry Barnett: Our Democracy’s Dilemma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/10/larry-barnett-our-democracys-dilemma/) - The role of government in a democracy has always been a matter of contention. Should government’s primary effort be the protection of individual liberty or the protection of the common good? Proponents of the former believe the protection of individual liberty includes defending private property and the activities that take place upon it. Proponents of
- [Kitchen Concert March 22, at 6 P.M.](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/10/kitchen-concert-march-22-at-6-p-m/) - We have three singers this year, Jessica Terwilliger, Patty McDonough and Judy Bowles. Room 110 at The Sonoma Community Center. Tickets $15 at the door.
- [From Being Seen to Being Silenced?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/10/from-being-seen-to-being-silenced/) - Visibility, Civil Liberties, and New Threats to LGBTQ Rights By Wake UP Sonoma Inform and Educate Team Recently, a Pride flag was removed from Sonoma Valley High School without public discussion. After community members objected, it was restored. For some, this may have seemed like a minor administrative decision. For LGBTQ students, it likely felt
- [Larson Park Reopens After Makeover](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/08/larsen-park-reopens-after-makeover/) - Larson Park is once again echoing with the sounds of children’s laughter, punctuated by the crisp pop of pickleball paddles on the newest courts in the County. After a major, $4.3 million renovation that closed the park for nearly a year, the 7.6-acre property, that borders both Sonoma Creek and Flowery Elementary School in Boyes
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/09/146182/) - Today’s AI is built to respond. The future belongs to proactive systems
- [Safari West Welcomes Ozzy the Baby Rhino](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/07/safari-west-welcomes-ozzy-the-baby-rhino/) - By David Bolling Have you ever scratched a rhinoceros behind the ear? Probably not. Given the popular perception of rhinos, petting one might sound almost as risky as kissing a crocodile on the lips. But then, you haven’t met Ozzy, a southern white rhino born at Safari West on July 22, 2025. That makes Ozzy
- [Katy Byrne: Disappearing Relationships](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/09/katy-byrne-disappearing-relationships/) - Sometimes not returning a text is so easy. You can tell yourself to let things go and sometimes that’s okay. I mean, it’s a good thing to let things slide. Until they become a landslide. These days it’s called “ghosting.” Some people drift away, off into the “too-lee” fog, a bit spooky for sure. I’ve
- [Sonoma Art Walk is back for 2026!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/09/sonoma-art-walk-is-back-for-2026/) - Sonoma Art Walk is back for the 2026 season, returning to the historic Sonoma Plaza on the first Thursday of the month from April through October. This beloved community tradition transforms downtown into a vibrant celebration of local creativity, fine art, and the unique spirit of the valley. Sonoma Art Walk is all about TLC:
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/08/146175/) - The Myth That Wind Farms Are a Guillotine for Birds Is Being Debunked by Hard Data
- [From Burnout to Brilliance: Reclaiming Your Vital Power from Toxic Stress](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/08/from-burnout-to-brilliance-reclaiming-your-vital-power-from-toxic-stress/) - By Dr. Devatara Holman, DACM, L.Ac., and Dr. Evan Shepherd Reiff, DACM, L.Ac. Valley Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine In our society today, we often treat stress as a temporary hurdle to be endured and overcome. However, when physical and emotional pressure persists for long durations, it does a great deal more than just leave us
- [NO KINGS 3 Mass Nationwide Protest](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/07/no-kings-3-community-poster-making/) - Wake UP Sonoma and Sonoma Valley Democrats Announces a Sonoma Valley Protest Event - NO KINGS 3 “NO KINGS 3" Mass Protest Nationwide - Pushing back against the autocracy in Sonoma Valley WHO: Sponsored by Wake Up Sonoma, Sonoma Valley Democrats, Indivisible Sonoma County DATE: Saturday, March 28, 2026 TIME: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM REGISTRATION
- [School District Teachers Working Without a Contract ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/05/school-district-teachers-working-without-a-contract/) - By Anna Pier (Graph shows entry level salary range for teachers) Since the opening of the 2025-26 school year, in August, the approximately 200 teachers and certificated staff of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District have been showing up for work in our four elementary schools, the middle school and the high school, without a
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/07/146157/) - Those who experience the grief of missing someone are often left holding onto the past, the unspoken, and feelings left behind
- [From Homeless to Harvard](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/07/from-homeless-to-harvard/) - Sonoma Speaker Series on March 23 Liz Murray is the once-homeless daughter of two loving but deeply-drug dependent parents, who raised herself from living on the streets of New York City to earning a full scholarship to Harvard University. Her riveting memoir, “Breaking Night,” was the basis for an Emmy-nominated film, “From Homeless To Harvard,”
- [Bob Edwards: Affordable Cemetery Housing](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/07/bob-edwards-affordable-cemetery-housing/) - On January 29, your correspondent attended a State of the Valley presentation at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma, hosted by the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce. It featured a recap of 2025, visions for 2026 and presentations by Congressman Mike Thompson, state Senator Christopher Cabaldon and Sonoma’s Mayor, Ron Wellander. As anticipated, presenters highlighted the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/06/146153/) - Interactive Map Reveals Where to Find California’s Wildflower Superblooms in 2026
- [Kathleen Hill: Oh My!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/06/kathleen-hill-oh-my/) - After David Bolling called me late last Friday night about writing this column, I was definitely awake when President Donald Trump launched his war on Iran very early Saturday morning. I watched the updates for hours. I am a newshound, but I am also a peacehound. How could this happen if real estate developers Jared
- [Under the Sun: Sachiko Kanenobu, Glen Ellen Singer-Songwriter](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/06/under-the-sun-sachiko-kanenobu-glen-ellen-singer-songwriter/) - The Japanese film “Perfect Days” features renowned actor Kôji Yakusho leading a Zen-like life in the heart of Tokyo, where he works as a public toilet cleaner. Yakusho won Best Actor for the role at the Cannes Film Festival. His character, Hirayama, is shown playing cassette tapes of his old favorites as he drives to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/05/146145/) - Researchers argue routine smell testing could detect neurodegenerative disease and other health risks years earlier than current exams
- [Sonoma Sister City Delegation Visits China for Cultural Exchange and Conference](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/03/sonoma-sister-city-delegation-visits-china-for-cultural-exchange-and-conference/) - Written by Peggy Rubens, with editing by Howard Eisenstark A delegation from the Sonoma Sister City Association traveled to China from October 16-28, 2025, for a twelve-day cultural exchange and diplomatic visit that included attendance at the China-US Sister Cities Conference in Hangzhou. The five-member delegation, which included Council member Jack Ding, David Katz, Peggy
- [David Bolling: Did Donald Trump Rape 13-Year Old Jane Doe?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/05/david-bolling-did-donald-trump-rape-13-year-old-jane-doe/) - As Donald Trump basks in the glow of his unauthorized assault on Iran, countless victims of his alleged illegal assaults against women are publicly wondering if the Middle East war he has started is not a diversion from the one he can’t escape at home. That suspicion is directly connected to the discovery that FBI
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club: March Flowers of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/05/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-march-flowers-of-the-month/) - Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future – Hannah Aclufi, Sedra Nathan, and Vincent Distrola Daffodils and jonquil Photo: NatureHills.com Historic Symbology As winter fades, Sonoma's wildflowers begin to emerge—but first, let’s honor the traditional birth month flowers for March: daffodils and jonquils, both in the genus Narcissus. These early bloomers
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/04/146133/) - The idea that it’s “too late” to reduce emissions fuels cynicism and despair, putting us on an even worse trajectory
- [Cats and Bats – a Dangerous Combination](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/04/cats-and-bats-a-dangerous-combination/) - Cats and bats – a potentially concerning combination. That’s the message from Deanna Schwab, DVM, a Sonoma Valley veterinarian and co-owner of Valley of the Moon Veterinarian Hospital. Schwab reached out to the Sonoma Valley Sun after a client reported that her strictly-indoor cat had presented her with a bat she had killed inside the
- [City Council to Consider Three Land Use Change Requests](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/04/city-council-to-consider-three-land-use-change-requests/) - At its meeting of March 4, 2026, the Sonoma City Council will discuss changing the land use designations for three properties within the city limits, including the Sebastiani Winery parcels. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. From July through December 2024 staff worked with the General Plan Task Force, Planning Commission and City Council on
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/03/146129/) - There are also clear disadvantages to forgetting, especially with things we need to do. Such forgetting is inconvenient, frustrating, and potentially serious
- [ Praxis Presents A Free Public Service Program on Zoom](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/03/praxis-presents-a-free-public-service-program-on-zoom/) - FRIDAY, MARCH 6 at 4:00 pm For Zoom Link, email: georgia@praxispeace.org MARY MCDEVITT, MD Healthcare in California - What is Happening? How are the new Trump cuts to healthcare impacting your costs? And, how are these cuts affecting local hospitals, rural hospital closures, strikes, and skyrocketing insurance premiums? Many of the recent changes are having a
- [Editorial: Replacing the Wine Business?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/03/editorial-replacing-the-wine-business/) - Over the course of the past 40 years – give or take a decade – Sonoma Valley has been lulled into a false sense of security about its economic future. We were riding the crest of a global love affair with wine, we had become an international tourism destination, we had tasting rooms ringing the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/02/146120/) - Our romantic lives are shaped more by the emotional patterns we learned in childhood than by destiny
- [Larry Barnett: Men, Money, Sex and Power](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/02/larry-barnett-men-money-sex-and-power/) - The media is on fire about the Epstein files, and rightfully so. The files reveal the way an entire class of men – wealthy, celebrated, entitled – routinely connected with each other to share contacts, socialize and enjoy themselves, often at the expense of others. In Epstein’s world, the others were girls, often very young
- [Sonoma Ecology Offers Van Hoosear Wildflower Preserve Walks](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/02/sonoma-ecology-offers-van-hoosear-wildflower-preserve-walks/) - Due to high demand, The Sonoma Ecology center has implemented special guidelines for the registration process. Read on to learn how you can secure a coveted space on one of the Wildflower Walks and experience one of Sonoma Valley’s most treasured landscapes, guided by expert naturalists from Sonoma Ecology Center. Registration for each walk will
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/01/146112/) - The federal government is walking away from its tailpipe emissions rules, sparking a legal debate over whether states can now write their own standards
- [March Art Exhibit at the Sonoma Valley Regional Library](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/01/march-art-exhibit-at-the-sonoma-valley-regional-library/) - March Artists: Altimira Middle School Visual Art Students The Sonoma Valley Regional Library, in conjunction with the Friends of the Sonoma Valley Library, is excited to announce that for the month of March, our featured artists are students in Cheryl Coldiron’s Visual Arts class at Altimira Middle School. Some 135 students were invited to participate
- [Sign Up for Sonoma County Parks Summer Camps](https://sonomasun.com/2026/03/01/sign-up-for-sonoma-county-parks-summer-camps/) - There's still time to sign up for summer camps! Give kids the chance to get outside, make friends and enjoy hands-on activities, including arts and crafts, games and journaling, along with swimming and Spring Lake Water Park fun, team building, kayaking and outdoor skills. Scholarships available. Multiple park locations. Register at SoCoParks.org/SummerCamp
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/28/146104/) - Our experience of reality may not arise directly from neurons firing in the brain. Instead, it could emerge from a hidden wave deep within the brain
- [Celebrate Sonoma County’s Beauty with the Spring into Parks Photo Contest](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/28/celebrate-sonoma-countys-beauty-with-the-spring-into-parks-photo-contest/) - This Sonoma County Parks Foundation fundraiser invites residents and visitors of all skill levels to capture the beauty of our 60+ Sonoma County Regional Parks. Get out your camera (or your phone!), head into your favorite parks and start taking photos of eye-catching views, vistas and wildlife.* The contest begins Sunday, March 1 and ends
- [Who’s running for California governor? Here’s a look at the current field of candidates](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/28/whos-running-for-california-governor-heres-a-look-at-the-current-field-of-candidates/) - by Jeanne Kuang This article was originally published by CalMatters Last updated: Feb. 24, 2026 At least nine Democrats are competing to succeed termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom in the 2026 general election, but first they’ll have to get through the June primary. The crowded field has raised fears among Democrats that they could be entirely locked out of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/27/146098/) - The shingles vaccine appears to prevent dementia, including Alzheimer’s, and may even slow biological aging
- [Sonoma City Council to Meet in Closed Session to Discuss Appointment of Interim City Manager](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/27/sonoma-city-council-to-meet-in-closed-session-to-discuss-appointment-of-interim-city-manager/) - The Sonoma City Council will meet in closed session at a special meeting on March 4, 2026 to discuss the possible appointment of an interim City Manager. The current City manager David Guhin will be departing in April of this year. Closed sessions are permitted for personnel matters and litigation threats or actions. A public
- [Permit Sonoma Announces Streamlined Permitting: Expedited & Over-the-Counter Programs](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/27/permit-sonoma-announces-streamlined-permitting-expedited-over-the-counter-programs/) - Many common residential projects don't require a lengthy plan review? Permit Sonoma offers two pathways designed to get you permitted quickly and keep your project moving. The Expedited Permit Program focuses on complete, clearly prepared residential applications that are limited in scope and ready for streamlined review by our Express Team. Projects such as kitchen and
- [Join the City of Sonoma in Celebrating the 2026 Alcalde](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/26/join-the-city-of-sonoma-in-celebrating-the-2026-alcalde/) - A free reception honoring community leader Gary Edwards. The City of Sonoma invites the community to attend a special reception honoring Gary Edwards, who has been selected by the Sonoma City Council as the 2026 Honorary Alcalde. The celebration will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2026, recognizing Edwards’ decades of service, leadership, and steadfast
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: How Do We Protect Our Mother?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/26/josette-brose-eichar-how-do-we-protect-our-mother/) - When we first moved to the Sonoma Valley in 2002, I had a naive view of the town of Sonoma and the valley. I thought with chickens on the plaza, small locally owned shops and restaurants, it was a place frozen in time, different from the San Francisco we had just left. I thought people
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "And this is the building's coworking space."](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/26/cartoon-by-hilary-and-this-is-the-buildings-coworking-space/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker magazine cartoonist, author and humorist. She also happens to have been born and raised right here in Sonoma.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/25/146089/) - Northern California’s Largest Reservoirs Climb After Back-to-Back Winter Storms
- [Impact100 Wins National Award for Partnering with Mentoring Alliance](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/25/impact100-wins-national-award-for-partnering-with-mentoring/) - By Anna Pier Impact100 Sonoma has been selected as a 2026 Philanos Spotlight Award recipient in recognition of its transformational support for the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance. Impact100 Sonoma is an affiliate of Philanos, the nation’s leading network of women’s giving circles. The annual Spotlight Awards were presented to three network affiliates at a dinner
- [Katy Byrne: Courage or Cowardice?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/25/katy-byrne-courage-or-cowardice/) - “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” Alice Walker More people are withdrawing from conversations about politics now. Some say, “It doesn’t do any good.” Others whisper, “It’s too stressful.” I get it. We have to take breaks in order to do self-care. But our America
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/24/146083/) - New study reveals Antarctica faces collapse or resilience by 2100, with irreversible ice loss possible under high emissions scenarios
- [Loretta Carpio Carr: Mariachi, La Boda and The Strength of Culture ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/24/loretta-carpio-carr-mariachi-la-boda-and-the-strength-of-culture/) - By Loretta Carpio Carr At a time when there is so much worry, sadness, and anger, I find that I need to engage in inspiring activities to maintain my motivation and happiness. For me, music is a soothing balm. It can also blast my mind
- [Will Shonbrun:  Jenny, A love story](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/24/will-shonbrun-jenny-a-love-story/) - A Place Beyond Words and Language Jenny died in the fall of 1976. She was my dog. To say I loved that animal doesn’t say anything. To tell you she died 50 years ago and hardly a day passes that she doesn’t come to mind, tells you what you need to know. In a sense
- [Sonoma Valley Library Book Sale March 7 and 8](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/22/sonoma-valley-library-book-sale-march-7-and-8/) - Sonoma Valley Regional Library 755 West Napa St, Sonoma Two days of book buying on Sat. March 7, 11-4 and Sun. March 8, 1-4 Hardcover -$3 Softcover-$2 Kids-$1 Sun. 3-4 Buy 1 and get 1 free 1 free book to each child attending Credit cards encouraged. Cash accepted. No checks. Bring bags if you
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/23/146075/) - Why do some single people feel depleted or marginalized, while others feel grounded, socially connected, and even energized?
- [Larry Barnett: What We Must Sometimes Do for Love ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/23/larry-barnett-what-we-must-sometimes-do-for-love/) - The force of love is among the most powerful of human experiences. I’m specifically considering love between people, not love of country, ice cream, or the many other things we say or even feel we love. I’m talking about romantic love, in all its manifestations. Romantic love is about caring, caring so deeply about another
- [The Valley of the Moon Garden Club Celebrates 75 Years](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/23/the-valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-celebrates-75-years/) - By Kelsey Maddox "Imagine Sonoma in 1951 - a sleepy little farming town with a population of just 2,100 folks. Life revolved around school, church, and the occasional outing to the Sebastiani Theater. But Sonomans have always known how to throw a party and bring people together. It was in this charming setting that the
- [Valentine’s Day Message from Kaniv, Ukraine](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/23/146069/) - Dear Stephanie, Dear Kaeti, Dear Sonoma Friends Every year, as winter draws to a close, a wonderful holiday awaits us — Valentine's Day. One of the most vital forces that sustains us throughout our lives is love. Love exists in the universe in many different forms. Therefore, when we say "Love," we mean "Life. We
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/22/146068/) - In the lab, animals live longer on less of the stuff. How could this be, and what does it mean for human aging?
- [Planning Commission Supports a "Go Slow" Approach to Rezoning Sebastiani Winery Property](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/21/planning-commission-supports-a-go-slow-approach-to-rezoning-sebastiani-winery-property/) - At its meeting of February 19, 2026, Sonoma’s Planning Commission unanimously agreed to recommend a “go slow” approach to the rezoning of the Sebastiani Winery property to Sonoma’s City Council. The City of Sonoma is in the process of updating its General Plan, the document that guides growth patterns and provides the legal basis for
- [School Board Turns Deaf Ear ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/22/school-board-turns-deaf-ear/) - By Anna Pier Four trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School Board met in regular session the evening of February 12 at the Sonoma City Council Chambers. Trustee Jason Lehman was not present for this very important meeting, the Agenda for which included offering a three-year contract to the Board’s recently selected new Superintendent Jason
- [VMTA Speaks from the Heart to School Board](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/22/vmta-speaks-from-the-heart-to-school-board/) - Valley of the Moon Teachers union co-presidents, Laura Hoban and Richelle Ryan, delivered this message - covering past missteps, crises and present challenges - to the Trustees at the regular February 12 meeting of the Sonoma Valley Unified School Board. On behalf of the Valley of the Moon Teachers Association, we want to welcome Jason
- [SDC: Adaptive Reuse Is The Answer](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/20/sdc-adaptive-reuse-is-the-answer/) - Healing Without Harm, Legacy Without Loss By Carolyn Mary Scott At the edge of Sonoma Mountain, in the villages of Eldridge and Glen Ellen, an old state institution sits quietly – abandoned, yet brimming with history. For more than a century, the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) was a hub of care and community for people
- [Is SDC a Toxic Time Bomb?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/19/is-sdc-a-toxic-time-bomb/) - The Dangers of Demolition By David Bolling In the enduring controversy over SDC – whether Sonoma County and the State of California should be allowed to shoehorn 2,400 new residents and their personal vehicles, pets, accumulated presence – onto an ecologically fragile, biologically-critical and logistically dangerous 160-acre rural slice of the former Sonoma Developmental Center
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/21/146061/) - A newly published study shows that stopping to eat at least three hours before bedtime has demonstrable benefits for heart health
- [Helen-Teri Shore: Burn Piles or Critter Condos?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/21/helen-teri-shore-burn-piles-or-critter-condos/) - What To Do with Burn Piles? Lately I’ve seen burn piles of oak limbs, bay branches, manzanita and tangled grass and leaves in parks and open space everywhere. Big tipi-shaped mounds border the trails at Sonoma Valley Regional Park, Sonoma Developmental Center and Bartholomew Park. I find it very unsettling to see massive clearing and
- [Bob Edwards: A Growing Concern](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/20/bob-edwards-a-growing-concern/) - Obesity is a growing concern in America, a huge issue the nation can’t seem to get its arms around. Judging by appearances, a popular sentiment appears to be: Who needs a treadmill or gym membership when we can exercise our jaws on delicious ice cream, burgers and fries? But to be clear: It is never
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/20/146047/) - A big open question in 21st-century science is how life began here on Earth. The metabolism-first scenario just might be the best one
- [Annual Chili Bowl Saturday, February 28, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/19/annual-chili-bowl-saturday-february-28-2026/) - What comes with your ticket? Every February, the annual Chili Bowl celebrates community, food, and clay. Featuring artisan bowls made by the Center’s ceramics team and a variety of hot, steaming chilis prepared by local chefs, the Chili Bowl brings our community together to create a sense of warmth during the rainy tail-end of winter.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/19/146040/) - The statistics look damning: the share of Americans who read for pleasure on an average day has fallen by more than 40 per cent over the past 20 years
- [Sonoma Police Department Investigates Fatal Vehicle-Pedestrian Collision on Broadway at Patten](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/18/sonoma-police-department-investigates-fatal-vehicle-pedestrian-collision/) - On 2/17/26 at 6:56 PM, Deputies from the Sonoma Police Department and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office along with EMS from the Sonoma Valley Fire Department arrived at a reported collision involving a motor vehicle and a pedestrian in the 600 block of Broadway. The location was reportedly near the intersections of Maple and Patten
- [Sonoma Valley Historical Society: It's the Year of the Horse](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/19/sonoma-valley-historical-society-its-the-year-of-the-horse/) - It's the Year of the Horse, so it's a perfect time to look back on the valley's favorite (in this equestrienne's somewhat biased opinion) conveyance. It's also a good reason to share more horse photos this year, so saddle up! Here is Charles Baine's horse and rig 'parked' at the Union Hotel (now B of
- [Sonoma Stompers Tickets Now on Sale](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/19/sonoma-stompers-tickets-now-on-sale/) - Lock in your seats for the 2026 season at the lowest price! This is your chance to secure the best pricing and guarantee your favorite seats for another unforgettable summer of Stompers baseball. Availability is limited- especially for the exclusive Flybird Margarita Lounge! Don’t wait. Beat the price increase, secure your spot, and get ready
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/18/146022/) - The latest release of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein includes yet more examples of how entwined the financier and child sex offender was with the scientific establishment.
- [David Bolling: Fluvial Geomorphology](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/18/david-bolling-fluvial-geomorphology/) - Sonoma Creek falls out of Sugarloaf State Park, wanders across the Valley floor and slides down the narrow canyon framing Warm Springs Road, past the first house I owned anywhere. The backyard of that house looked down on the creek, through a picket fence of California Bay Laurel trees that, over the years, one-by-one, succumbed
- [Under Pressure: Mental Wellness, Access, and Systems of Care for Women and Girls in Sonoma County](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/15/under-pressure-mental-wellness-access-and-systems-of-care-for-women-and-girls-in-sonoma-county/) - Mental wellness for women and girls in Sonoma County is shaped by cumulative stress, trauma exposure, identity-based marginalization, and barriers to accessible, culturally responsive care. These challenges have intensified in recent years as residents have experienced repeated disruption, including catastrophic fires, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing social and economic instability. This local picture reflects a
- [Community Vigil in Support of Ukraine](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/18/community-vigil-in-support-of-ukraine/) - The Sonoma Sister Cities Association and its Kaniv Committee invite the community to gather for a vigil marking the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. on February 22, in front of Sonoma City Hall, which will serve as the backdrop for the program. The vigil offers
- [Sonoma Historical Society Lecture: Peter Meyerhof - The Legacy of 1776](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/17/sonoma-historical-society-lecture-peter-meyerhoff-the-legacy-of-1776/) - Thursday February 26, 6 P.M. Sonoma Community Center
- [Editorial: Greening Sonoma ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/17/editorial-greening-sonoma/) - We want to add our voice of support for the city’s recent completion of its first tree inventory and urban forest canopy assessment. As reported here in the February 5 Sonoma Valley Sun, these reports are the result of years of advocacy. With this work accomplished, a new chapter begins in the City’s relationship to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/17/146013/) - Mexistentialism: The Mexican embrace of uncertainty, forged in the crucible of history, captures the true vulnerability of our existence
- [Three Inches of Rain Have Fallen This Week...More to Come Plus COLD!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/17/three-inches-of-rain-have-fallen-this-week-more-to-come-plus-cold/) - The rain gauge at Second Street East and Napa Street has recorded three inches of rain since February 10, 2026. A new round of wet weather will arrive Tuesday accompanied by the lowest temperatures of the season, as low a the upper twenties by late Thursday night and Friday morning.
- [Rethink "Old": How Your Mindset Can Transform Your Health](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/25/rethink-old-how-your-mindset-can-transform-your-health/) - By Dr. Devatara Holman and Dr. Evan Shepherd Reiff In our integrative medical clinic, we often hear patients attribute their challenges and ailments—aches, pains, indigestion, insomnia, or memory issues—to simply "getting old." With that expression often comes a sigh and a shrugging of the shoulders in a sign of surrender, as if there is nothing left to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/16/146007/) - A powerful winter system is lining up to slam the Sierra, and Yosemite National Park is squarely in the crosshairs
- [Larry Barnett: The Doom Scenario](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/16/larry-barnett-the-doom-scenario/) - “We’re doomed,” said my therapist. It was a notable moment that has stayed with me over all these years. He was a Jungian – not a school of psychotherapy known for being pessimistic – and he made this announcement while we were discussing humanity. I’ve thought about it often, and depending upon the flavor of
- [‘It’s time’: California leaders unveil biggest crackdown on drunk drivers in decades](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/16/its-time-california-leaders-unveil-biggest-crackdown-on-drunk-drivers-in-decades/) - by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler This article was originally published by CalMatters It’s been more than four decades yet Rhonda Campbell’s voice still quavered as she stood before a row of television cameras recalling the day in 1981 when a repeat drunk driver killed her 12-year-old sister. She remembers her father crying as he told her what
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/15/146002/) - When we set our expectations and operate based on the sequence of events that unfolded the last time a similar situation has occurred, we surrender to history
- [Cameras in Sonoma Are Watching You](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/13/cameras-in-sonoma-are-watching-you/) - Understanding Auto Surveillance Cameras By Larry Barnett Sixteen automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras surround the City of Sonoma, monitoring the vehicles that pass through the city. Installed in 2023, they now play a central role in solving serious crimes, many – if not most – of which are committed not by people who live
- [On Presidents’ Day, Monday 2/16, the City of Sonoma Offices Will Be Closed](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/15/on-presidents-day-monday-2-16-the-city-of-sonoma-offices-will-be-closed/) - Presidents' Day is a U.S. federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February (Feb. 16, 2026) to honor George Washington's birthday. Originally established in 1879 for Washington (Feb. 22), it was moved by the 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create three-day weekends, later becoming popularly, but not officially, known as a day to honor all presidents,
- [Larson Park Reopens After Major Renovation](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/14/larson-park-reopens-after-major-renovation/) - Upgrades deliver new amenities, sports courts and fields for the Springs community Larson Park is officially refreshed and ready for play. Following the completion of a major renovation project, the Boyes Hot Springs park features upgraded facilities and more inclusive spaces designed for families, sports leagues and tennis and pickleball players. These improvements reflect years
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/14/145994/) - The unanswered questions about sex, love, and pregnancy in space could shape the future of humanity more than we think.
- [Planning Commission to Discuss Land Use Change of Sebastiani Winery Site](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/14/planning-commission-to-discuss-land-use-change-of-sebastiani-winery-site/) - At its meeting of February 19, the Sonoma Planning Commission will review the draft Land Use Element of the revised General Plan, including the potential rezoning of the Sebastiani Winery property of over 20 acres. The Land Use Element provides for development and resource conservation, while promoting diverse opportunities for economic development and encouraging the
- [Wet Weather Returns for the Holiday Weekend...and Beyond](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/14/wet-weather-returns-for-the-holiday-weekend-and-beyond/) - A series of storm systems are expected to move through Sonoma and the North Bay beginning Saturday night and continuing into next week. Rain is likely at times throughout the weekend and into early next week, with the heaviest rainfall expected Sunday into early Tuesday morning. Rain will be intermittent and showery in nature — not constant
- [Board Letter to the Community from Sonoma Valley Health Care District](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/14/board-letter-to-the-community-from-sonoma-valley-health-care-district/) - The following was received by The Sun. We are including it here to help inform the community. Dear Sonoma Valley Community, At our January meeting, Sonoma City Manager David Guhin joined the Board to provide an update on the City of Sonoma’s General Plan, a long-term roadmap guiding growth and priorities over the next 20
- [The Approved but Not Built Montaldo Apartment Project Is Put Up for Sale](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/12/the-approved-montaldo-apartment-project-is-put-up-for-sale/) - The owner De Nova Homes has decided not to proceed with the construction phase of the project After a lengthy and complex application process that included the demolition of a significant, historic home, De Nova Homes has decided to sell the project and its granted entitlements. Consisting of multiple apartment buildings accounting for 50 units,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/13/145985/) - California is stepping up efforts to protect its landscapes, waterways, and wildlife, and a major part of that work is happening through environmental oversight tied to cannabis cultivation
- [Building Homes Is a Top Priority for California Democrats Again This Year](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/13/building-homes-is-a-top-priority-for-california-democrats-again-this-year/) - By Yue Stella Yu This article originally was published by CalMatters California lawmakers showed historic enthusiasm for the abundance movement last year as they passed sweeping housing laws that roll back landmark environmental reviews for most urban developments and allow denser housing near transit — ambitious endeavors that would have gotten nowhere just a few
- [City Council to Review Utility Box Art Wraps](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/13/city-council-to-review-utility-box-art-wraps/) - At its meeting of February 18, the Sonoma City Council will review a recommendation of the city's Cultural and Fine Arts Commission to improve the appearance of a number of large utility boxes by wrapping them in vinyl artwork by local artists. The staff report on the proposal is shown below. The Cultural and Fine
- [Board of Supervisors Awards $12.4 Million for Mental Health and Homeless Services](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/12/board-of-supervisors-awards-12-4-million-for-mental-health-and-homeless-services/) - The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday awarded $12.4 million to support mental health and homelessness services across the county, the latest in a series of investments funded by Measure O, the quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020. The approved funding includes $10 million from Measure O and $2.4 million from the
- [Close-Up with Valley’s Craft Artists](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/06/close-up-with-valleys-craft-artists/) - Intimate View of Artists in Craft in the Valley Show By Anna Pier Craft in the Valley is a remarkable exhibit in Room 212 of the Sonoma Community Center featuring local artists. It began when the show's curators, Simon Blattner and Barbara Wells, made an open call for artists that was announced through Sonoma Community
- [Sonoma City Manager David Guhin Announces Departure](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/10/sonoma-city-manager-david-guhin-announces-departure/) - The following note was sent from Sonoma City Hall to City Commissioners this afternoon: I have accepted the position of Sonoma County Executive, following my selection by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. I will remain in my role with the City through March, and my focus during this transition period will continue to be
- [Between Clouds and Code: Katherine Allbright at the Sonoma Valley Library](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/11/between-clouds-and-code-katherine-allbright-at-the-sonoma-valley-library/) - By Connie Schlelein Encountering Katherine Allbright’s work at her February exhibition at the Sonoma Valley Library feels distinctly other-worldly. At first glance, her paintings, photography, and graphic works lean toward the surreal—sometimes playful, sometimes meditative, always intellectually provocative. But this is art that refuses to remain static. As visitors lifted their phones and scanned QR
- [Rejects Elimination of Director of Wellness & Inclusion at Schools](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/11/reject-elimination-of-director-of-wellness-inclusion/) - On February 6th, SVUSD revealed significant intended staffing cuts, including the Director of Education Services - Student Wellness & Inclusion. The Director of Wellness & Inclusion ensures all SVUSD students have access to a supportive, equitable, and inclusive learning environment. She oversees district wellness and school counseling, provides access to school and community resources, and
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "Mrs. Johnson, this can't happen again, can it?"](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/11/cartoon-by-hilary-mrs-johnson-this-cant-happen-again-right/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker Cartoonist, author and humorist who just happens to have been born and raised in Sonoma.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/11/145969/) - A new study shows that Earth formed under an unusually precise set of chemical conditions that allowed it to retain two elements essential for life as we know it: phosphorus and nitrogen
- [Peak winter bloom at Sonoma Botanical Garden ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/11/peak-winter-bloom-at-sonoma-botanical-garden/) - In time for Valentine’s Day, Sonoma Botanical Garden is experiencing peak bloom of its many winter-blossoming trees including rare magnolias, camellias, and more. Winter magnolia flowers on bare branches hold a unique beauty, making a trip to the Garden a sublime romantic date. The Garden is home to over 40 species of Asian magnolias, many
- [Bob Edwards:  Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/11/bob-edwards-laissez-les-bons-temps-rouler/) - Readers of a certain age may recognize that old Cajun-French expression. It means to let go of your cares and worries and enjoy yourself; have Fun(!) and embrace a celebratory, carefree attitude. It's an invitation to relax and fully experience the present moment, especially at parties, festivals like Mardi Gras, or at moments of great
- [Why Pride Flag Removal by David Bell Violated School Board Bylaws](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/10/why-pride-flag-removal-by-david-bell-violated-school-board-bylaws/) - Iconic High School Symbol Flies Again By Helen Marsh David Bell was elected president of the Board of Trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District in December 2025. He was elected by a vote of his fellow board members. In January, Bell ran into a buzz saw of negative public opinion when he unilaterally
- [Praxis on Zoom: Citizen Diplomacy and the Transformation of Power](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/10/praxis-on-zoom-citizen-diplomacy-and-the-transformation-of-power/) - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 at 4:00 pm on Zoom Tickets: $21 ($16 for Praxis members) Registration: Click Here. JIM GARRISON Citizen Diplomacy and the Transformation of Power Jim Garrison has been a social and political activist with the anti-war, anti-nuclear, citizen diplomacy and environmental movements since the 1960s. He was co-founder and president of the Gorbachev Foundation and State of the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/10/145959/) - Tahoe Snowpack Drops to 60% After Dry January
- [Katy Byrne: Oh Give Me A Home](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/10/katy-byrne-oh-give-me-a-home/) - I've worked in housing for years, in low-income housing as a resource coordinator, and I’ve counseled homeless people. I have bought, sold and been sold out during the foreclosure years. I've been around the block. Housing is a serious, insidious, corrosive problem for community. The system doesn’t work anymore. Houses sit empty while well-off people
- [Sonoma Historical Society: Coffee Shops of Our Past](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/10/sonoma-historical-society-coffee-shops-of-our-past/) - February is a good month for lingering over a steaming cappuccino or latte, preferably in one of the valley's cozy cafes. And while we doubt that Weghoeffer's served espresso drinks, it's still a lovely glimpse into the coffee shops of our past. (I don't think we could even get a cappuccino in the valley until
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/09/145954/) - A new Lancet meta-analysis of the best double-blind trial data available shows that most of the scary side effects on statin labels simply don’t hold up
- [Larry Barnett: You May Call It Heaven](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/09/larry-barnett-you-may-call-it-heaven/) - We imagine ourselves as having had a beginning, although at precisely what point in time it happened is uncertain, and that like taxes our end will come. We think of most things this way because that’s the way they appear and it’s what we’re taught. Within our short lives of self-awareness, we witness coming and
- [Will Shonbrun: Playing The Hand You're Dealt](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/09/will-shonbrun-playing-the-hand-youre-dealt/) - It is generally agreed that the Civil Rights Movement in this country began officially in 1965 with the Supreme Court's decisive ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, ending the heretofore legal and widely accepted segregation and separation of the races in U.S. schools, with the passage of that seminal piece of federal legislation. Certainly,
- [The Ruptured World Order](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/09/the-ruptured-world-order/) - Editor’s Note: On January 20, on the global stage provided by the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered one of the most important and prescient speeches of the Trump era. At the risk of boring some readers, and hopefully inspiring many others, we present here a version deeply-edited to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/08/145947/) - President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom are in a race to capture as much water as possible in California
- [Gary Edwards Selected as 2026 Honorary Alcalde](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/08/gary-edwards-selected-as-2026-honorary-alcalde/) - The Sonoma City Council has selected Gary Edwards as the City of Sonoma’s 2026 Honorary Alcalde, honoring more than two decades of service and leadership in support of the Sonoma community. Edwards was formally named at the January 26, 2026 City Council meeting. The Honorary Alcalde program, established in 1975, recognizes a Sonoma resident whose
- [Seth Dolinsky: Friday Farmers Market – Local Food Central](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/08/seth-dolinsky-friday-farmers-market-local-food-central/) - Sonoma’s Friday Farmers market – officially the Sonoma Valley Certified Farmer’s Market (SCVFM) – has been the Valley's main source for locally produced food for decades. Over four to be exact, having been founded in 1985 by some forward-thinking farmers and residents, notably including Paul Wirtz of Paul’s Produce, Chris Gertz of Gertz Farm, and
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: Hometown Minneapolis Under Seige](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/08/josette-brose-eichar-hometown-minneapolis-under-seige/) - By Josette Brose-Eichar My earliest memories are of north Minneapolis. My older sister, Eileen, walking me to Hawthorn Elementary School on frozen sidewalks. Midday I would walk back to our third-floor tenement apartment alone. Even as a small child I was unafraid to wander from street to street on my journey, looking for my favorite
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/07/145938/) - Cognitive decline, not personal memory, makes time feel faster as we age
- [Impressions of the War in Ukraine](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/07/impressions-of-the-war-in-ukraine/) - Kaniv Residents Share Their Pain By Tarney Baldinger On Valentine’s Day, a Sock Hop and Spaghetti Feed will be held at the Sonoma Valley’s Women’s Club to raise funds for Sonoma’s Ukrainian Sister City, Kaniv. To provide context for that event, the Sonoma Sun reached out to residents of Kaniv, through Tarney Baldinger of Sonoma,
- [Democracy Grows in Sonoma, Part 1](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/07/democracy-grows-in-sonoma-part-1/) - By Jim Bohar The City Council voted to change the Sonoma voting process for electing City Council members from at-large (city-wide representation) to district elections beginning this year. The voters will be divided into five districts, each having their own Council Member. How will this change the election for City Council on November 3, 2026?
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/06/145932/) - Why is Earth pulsating every 26 seconds, and why can’t scientists explain it after 60 years?
- [Kathleen Hill: HooRay for Valentine’s Day All Across The Valley](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/06/kathleen-hill-hooray-for-valentines-day-all-across-the-valley/) - Happy Valentines Awards for Valley and Valley Swim Club Somehow chefs Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor flew off the high dive and made a clean entry into the not-so-clear pool below. The two chefs left Scribe winery and dove into their Valley Bar + Bottle in the space formerly enjoyed by fans of Harvest Moon
- [Hands-On Workshop with Japanese Book Artists in Sonoma Saturday Feb. 7](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/06/hands-on-workshop-with-japanese-book-artists-in-sonoma-saturday-feb-7/) - This February, Amu Arts is delighted to welcome three outstanding Japanese book artists to the Bay Area for a rare series of presentations, workshops, and public programs exploring the book as an art form. Visiting from Japan, artists Ryoko Adachi, Kyoko Matsunaga, and Tatsuhiko Niijima each represent a unique lineage within contemporary Japanese book arts—practices
- [Improving 8th St. E. and Hwy. 121 Intersection Subject of Public Meeting Feb 5, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/04/improving-8th-st-e-and-hwy-121-intersection-subject-of-public-meeting-feb-5-2026/) - The intersection of State Route 121 and 8th Street East is a key regional corridor that experiences heavy commuter traffic and limited left-turn facilities, leading to congestion and operational challenges. To address these issues, the Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authorities (SCTCA), in partnership with Caltrans District 4, Sonoma County, the Sonoma County Regional Parks
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/05/145923/) - After a promising start to winter, the snow picture around Lake Tahoe has taken a sharp turn and not in a good way
- [Update on the Planned Ting Honoring Chinese Immigrant Laborers ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/05/update-on-the-planned-ting-honoring-chinese-immigrant-laborers/) - In 2020, Sonoma’s City Council approved an application for the creation of a Ting in Depot Park to honor the contribution of Chinese immigrants who labored in Sonoma more than a century ago. A Ting is a large gazebo or pavilion type structure of traditional Chinese design. It is used as a social, ceremonial gathering
- [Editorial: Not Just Any Flag ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/05/editorial-not-just-any-flag/) - The Pride Flag was first flown at Sonoma Valley High in 2019, hoisted, as an outcome of student advocacy, at a ceremony which students heralded as marking a new inclusivity at their school. It has been proudly flying below the Stars and Stripes on the flagpole in front of the school on Broadway until January
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/04/145918/) - With attention spans under assault in this era of nonstop stimulation, what does neurotypical even look like?
- [David Bolling: Is The Frog of Democracy Dead?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/04/david-bolling-is-the-frog-of-democracy-dead/) - The proverbial frog-in-the-pot is toast, a wafer of black carbon, a skeletal memory of it’s original form. We watched it shrink as the water boiled away, then we wondered if it would snap back to life before the heat shriveled the carcass. Maybe the frog wasn’t dead. Maybe it was just resting. We expressed concern
- [SVHS Students Rally For Pride Flag](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/02/svhs-students-rally-for-pride-flag/) - Student Opinion Angry, Upset By Madeleine Edwards Sun SVHS Correspondent The pride flag was taken down at Sonoma Valley High School (SVHS) after board member David Bell made the decision that the flag was harmful to student clubs and sports that don’t fly flags on campus. This issue has been discussed heavily in the community,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/03/145913/) - Humans May Return to the Moon This Week. Are Americans Even Aware It’s Happening?
- [Impact100 Sonoma Announces 2026 Grants Pool of $365,00 for Valley-Serving Nonprofits](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/03/impact100-sonoma-announces-2026-grants-pool-of-36500-for-valley-serving-nonprofits/) - Sets Record Highs in Annual Funding and Membership Exceeds $4.7 Million in Cumulative Giving In 2026, women’s collective giving organization Impact100 Sonoma—one of the valley’s largest funders—will award a record $365,000 in grants to valley-serving nonprofits. That amount will raise the group’s cumulative grant total since 2010 to $4,740,485. For the sixth consecutive year, Impact100
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club: February Plants of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/03/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-february-plants-of-the-month/) - Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future – Hannah Aclufi, Sedra Nathan, and Vincent Distrola In Memory of Hannah This column began as a collaboration with Hannah Aclufi, the native plant nursery manager at the 7th street garden park and one of the first plant people I met in Sonoma. Knowledgeable, stubborn,
- [La Luz Named Nonprofit of the Year by Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/31/la-luz-named-nonprofit-of-the-year-by-sonoma-valley-chamber-of-commerce/) - La Luz Center has been named the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year by the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, recognizing the organization’s leadership and impact during a pivotal year for the most vulnerable families in Sonoma Valley. In particular in 2025, La Luz services reached one-third of the Valley’s Latino families, with a focus on
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/02/145904/) - It Sure Looks Like Pretty Much Every Unvaccinated Kid Is About to Get Measles
- [Larry Barnett: The Universe Abides](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/02/larry-barnett-the-universe-abides/) - No matter how much order nor how many distinctions we make about the universe, in essence, it’s just a soup of subatomic waves and particles. Whether this represents some sort of primordial order or billions of years of entropy and chaos, is incidental. As human beings, we gather information and give names to objects and
- [Wake Up Sonoma Presents Running for the Mountains Community Screening](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/01/wake-up-sonoma-presents-running-for-the-mountains-community-screening/) - WHERE: The historic Sebastiani Theatre - downtown Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma Valley DATE: February 15, 2026 TIME: 5:00 p.m. - doors open at 4:15. (Film run-time 76 minutes) TICKET LINK: Documentary Screening - "Running for the Mountains" | Press Democrat News Group This exceptional award-winning documentary is a political story of dark money, environmental devastation and brave
- [Flowery to Host Dual Immersion Kindergarten Information Night Feb. 28](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/28/flowery-to-host-dual-immersion-kindergarten-information-night-feb-28/) - Parents of children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2026 are invited to a Kindergarten Information Night at Flowery from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28. Flowery is Sonoma Valley Unified School District’s dual immersion elementary school. District families who live outside the Flowery attendance area may request an Intradistrict Transfer if they’re interested in
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: Gimme Shelter](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/01/josette-brose-eichar-gimme-shelter/) - By Josette Brose-Eichar Today the sun is back out, the fog and rain gone, yet the days are chilled and the nights brittle and cold, to the point of shattering. During the rain, those with no real home were washed out of their attempts at home, under bridges, along the creek. Those sleeping in vehicles
- ['80s Classic Shirley Valentine Opens at Andrews Hall](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/01/80s-classic-shirley-valentine-opens-at-andrews-hall/) - Sonoma Arts Live theater company is proud to present the classic play Shirley Valentine, written by Willy Russell. The show opens February 6, and runs weekends through February 22. The Saturday shows are at 7:30pm, and the Sunday shows at 2 pm. Before there was the hit movie in the ’80s, there was the play.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/01/145895/) - California’s final full month of winter is starting off dry, and there are few signs of a meaningful pattern change in the near term
- [Documentary Beyond the Rainbow to Benefit Sonoma Valley Pride at Sebastiani Theatre](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/28/documentary-beyond-the-rainbow-to-benefit-sonoma-valley-pride-at-sebastiani-theatre/) - SONOMA VALLEY PRIDE PRESENTS: Documentary Beyond the Rainbow to Benefit Sonoma Valley Pride at Sebastiani Theatre Sonoma Valley Pride in partnership with Out In The Vineyard and Wake UP Sonoma is proud to present Beyond the Rainbow, a short documentary film screening on Saturday, March 15, at 3:00 PM at the historic Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma. Doors will open at 2:30 PM.
- [FISH Annual Impact Report Celebrates Accomplishments and Appreciation](https://sonomasun.com/2026/02/01/fish-annual-impact-report-celebrates-accomplishments-and-appreciation/) - For 55 years, FISH has maintained its founding ethos, neighbors helping neighbors in need. Its Mission Statement is clear: “FISH lends a helping hand to our neighbors in need by providing critical safety net services.” All FISH service requests begin either through their website or a phone call to their weekday Dispatch phone line. Dispatch
- [MacArthur Park Charter Awarded the Prestwood Campus](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/28/macarthur-park-charter-awarded-the-prestwood-campus/) - By Anna Pier In deliberations lasting less than a minute, on January 27 four trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School Board voted unanimously to offer the MacArthur Park Charter School (MPCS) placement at the current site of Prestwood School for the academic year 2026-27. Despite President Bell's written affirmation the morning of January 27
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/31/145890/) - Five myths make us quit before we get good: cultural lies make normal struggle feel like failure
- [Sonoma Valley Sun Welcomes Its New Circulation Coordinator](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/31/sonoma-valley-sun-welcomes-its-new-circulation-coordinator/) - We're very pleased to announce the hiring of our new Circulation Coordinator, Chistianna Dean, who will replace departing Pablo Cruz who's joined the Marines. The two will work jointly together during February. We thank Pablo for his reliable and well-executed service to our newspaper and wish him well as he embarks on his next adventure.
- [California Chief Justice Steps Up Monitoring of Immigration Arrests at Courthouses](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/31/california-chief-justice-steps-up-monitoring-of-immigration-arrests-at-courthouses/) - by Cayla Mihalovich This article was originally published by CalMatters California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero said she is taking a more proactive stance to preserve access to the judicial system as the Trump administration continues to make arrests in courthouses. At a press conference on Thursday, Guerrero — the high court’s first Latina chief —
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/30/145875/) - For many adults, especially as they age, small lapses can trigger a much deeper fear: Is this the beginning of cognitive decline?
- [City of Sonoma Welcomes New Sustainability Coordinator](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/30/city-of-sonoma-welcomes-new-sustainability-coordinator/) - The City of Sonoma is pleased to welcome Antoinette Freeman as the City’s new part-time Sustainability Coordinator within the Community Development Department. In this role, Freeman supports implementation of the City’s adopted Climate Action Strategies, coordination of sustainability programs and state requirements, and collaboration with regional agencies and community partners. The position plays an important role in advancing the
- [Cops Have to Treat Marijuana In Your Car Differently after New California Supreme Court Ruling](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/30/cops-have-to-treat-marijuana-in-your-car-differently-after-new-california-supreme-court-ruling/) - by Nigel Duara This article originally was published by CalMatters When it comes to impaired driving and the state’s open container law, a rolled and ready joint is more like a can of beer in giving police cause to search a car than a few crumbs of marijuana, according to the California Supreme Court. The court’s reasoning:
- [A Neighbor Day](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/29/a-neighbor-day/) - In Sonoma, we know something about neighbors. When the fires came, people did not ask who believed what, or who voted how, or where anyone came from. They knocked on doors. They opened their homes. They fed strangers. They rescued animals. They stood together in shock and kindness, because in moments like that, we remember
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/29/145870/) - Younger adults are already contending with mysteriously higher rates of cancer than their parents and grandparents. Emerging research now shows that the same is true for stroke
- [Sonoma Ecology Center Receives $200,000 Grant in Fire Risk Funding from County](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/29/sonoma-ecology-center-receives-200000-grant-in-fire-risk-funding-from-county/) - The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today approved $1.51 million in grants for 10 projects that will reduce wildfire risk in high-priority landscapes, improve safety along key evacuation routes and train workers in land management practices that protect communities from wildfires. The Sonoma Ecology Center received $200,000 to begin large-scale vegetation treatment in eastern Sonoma
- [Commuter Relief: HOV Hours on 101 Changed](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/29/commuter-relief-hov-hours-on-101-changed/) - Transportation partners Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), and the Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authorities (SCTCA) have announced upcoming changes to High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane hours on US-101 in Marin and Sonoma counties. New HOV hours (late February, weather permitting): • Morning: 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
- [Sonoma Valley Hospital Highlights From the 2025 Annual Community Report](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/27/sonoma-valley-hospital-highlights-from-the-2025-annual-community-report/) - Each year, Sonoma Valley Hospital publishes an Annual Community Report to share progress, investments, and the impact of our work across the Valley. As we begin 2026, we’re spotlighting a few key outtakes from this year’s report—important advancements in technology, access, and community partnerships that reflect our continued commitment to delivering high-quality care close to
- [Jobs Available at Sonoma County Regional Parks](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/28/jobs-available-at-sonoma-county-regional-parks/) - Multiple positions available. Apply by Feb. 9 at 11:59 p.m. Park Aides provide valuable community service to the community while working outdoors across our 60+ regional parks, beaches and marinas. ($23.15 - $28.15 Hourly) Natural Resource Maintenance Workers are an essential part of our environmental stewardship, restoration, habitat conservation and forest management work. ($27.70 -
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/28/145858/) - Kirk Milhoan is the new chairman of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. His comments on a recent podcast should scare the American public
- [Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District Offers Advice](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/28/marin-sonoma-mosquito-and-vector-control-district-offers-advice/) - The Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District offers advice about ways to control mosquitos as the seasons change. Now's the time to begin paying attention. Mosquitoes need standing water to survive. Even a small amount, as little as what a bottle cap holds, can produce dozens of mosquitoes in just a few days. That’s why
- [Katherine Allbright Art Exhibition at Sonoma Valley Library](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/27/katherine-allbright-art-exhibition-at-sonoma-valley-library/) - The Sonoma Valley Regional Library, in conjunction with the Friends of the Sonoma Valley Library, is hosting an exhibition by Katherine Allbright from February 1 - 28. The public is invited to meet the artist at a reception on Friday, February 6 from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm in the library’s Forum Room. Light refreshments
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/27/145852/) - Vaping with nicotine has become commonplace. It can be used to stop smoking cigarettes, but it has several serious health risks. The long-term effects of vaping are unknown.
- [Sonoma Valley High Staff Writes Letter of Support for School Administration](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/27/sonoma-valley-high-staff-writes-letter-of-support-for-school-administration/) - The following letter was posted to Facebook and the made available to the Sonoma Valley Community. January 22, 2026 Attention: SVUSD Board of Trustees, SVUSD, Sonoma Valley Community We, the undersigned staff of Sonoma Valley High School, write to express our full and unequivocal support for Principal Molly Kiss and the SVHS administrative team. SVHS
- [Hwy 121 Restored to Two-Way Traffic](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/25/hwy-121-restored-to-two-way-traffic/) - The one-way traffic control on SR-121 just south of Big Bend at the Yellow Creek Bridge has been lifted. Even better, the work wrapped up several weeks ahead of schedule. The major thoroughfare was limited to one-way traffic control while a bridge over a small creek was reconstructed. Traffic was often backed up as cars
- [Larry Barnett: Our American Crisis](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/26/larry-barnett-our-american-crisis/) - There is a point of view that argues America’s crisis is inevitable, that authoritarian barbarity is baked into our system and it’s what we have regularly and violently inflicted upon targeted domestic and international populations. It’s not an easy argument to refute. Our brutal exercise of power is historically accurate. America’s indigenous people know it.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/26/145845/) - A weird, itchy rash is linked to the keto diet—but no one knows why
- [Helen-Teri Shore: ‘Shrooming Season](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/26/helen-teri-shore-shrooming-season/) - Mushrooms seem to be everywhere right now, pushing up from the earth through damp, disintegrating leaves and mud, growing on logs and trees, or popping up in lawns and gravel landscapes. The abundance of mushrooms has attracted lots of attention from nature lovers as well as warnings from county health officials, because many good-looking mushrooms
- [Bob Edwards: Protecting Apex Predators](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/26/bob-edwards-protecting-apex-predators/) - Animal Rights activist Zoe Rosenberg was arrested in 2023, tried in late 2025 and recently sentenced to 90 days confinement (jail and home) for taking four (4) hens from Perdue Farms’ slaughterhouse in Petaluma, hens she said were being kept in deplorable conditions. Zoe is beloved by many animal rights advocates but labeled a thief
- [Under the Sun Interview: David Bell, President, Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/22/under-the-sun-david-bell-president-sonoma-valley-unified-school-board/) - The Sonoma Valley Unified Board of Trustees has made two monumental decisions since Trustee David Bell took the gavel in December, the approval of the MacArthur Park Charter School petition, and selection of a new Superintendent for the District. Anna Pier met with the new President to talk about himself, these big decisions, and the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/25/145835/) - Nearly one million young Chinook salmon are getting an unusual head start on life this week by growing up in flooded rice fields near the Yolo Bypass
- [Pushpak Seeks Supporters For Electric Trike Service](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/25/pushpak-seeks-supporters-for-electric-trike-service/) - It is the best of times and the worst of times for Pushpak Motors, the fleet of eco-friendly, battery-powered, street-and-sidewalk legal tricycles owned by serial entrepreneur, former music executive and Sonoma resident Howard Sapper. Pushpak has established a solid place in the local tourism trade, winning Viator accolades as a top-ten North American beverage tour
- [Valentine's Day Sock Hop and Spaghetti Feed - Feb. 14](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/25/valentines-day-sock-hop-and-spaghetti-feed-feb-14/) - Sonoma Valley Women's Club Saturday February 14, 2026 5:30 - 8:30 $40 Per person / $75 per couple For tickets CLICK HERE
- [Katy Byrne: What Is Real Power?](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/25/katy-byrne-what-is-real-power/) - Researchers have discovered in Hitler’s DNA evidence of Kallmann syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by, among other things, a small you-know-what. It might be easy to draw a conclusion from this, since compensating for feelings of inadequacy can lead to the strong man syndrome. I’m not putting men down here. All of us have learned,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/24/145829/) - Screen Time Might Be Shrinking Your Brain. Study finds that more screen time can lead to cognitive decline and dementia.
- [Craft in the Valley Exhibit at the Community Center](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/24/craft-in-the-valley-exhibit-at-the-community-center/) - Sonoma Community Center, Gallery 212 January 9 – February 19, 2026 Curated by Simon Blattner and Barbara Wells Simon Blattner and Barbara Wells have brought to Gallery 212 at the Sonoma Community Center a delightful and distinctly unique exhibit of local crafts/objets d'art. The curators explain, “It is with the deepest intentionality that we present
- [Kathleen Hill: Food and Wine News](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/24/kathleen-hill-food-and-wine-news/) - Restaurant Updates, Soroptimists Honor Colleen Ganaye, Speakeasy Gay Nights, Liz Cheney’s Turkey Dinner Great news at The Mill Executive Chef Dana Jaffe has returned to the kitchen at The Mill in Glen Ellen, after bigtime shoulder surgery. And she didn’t waste any time introducing new menu items, while all of people’s favorites are still there.
- [Public Invited to Offer Input on the County’s Top Priorities, Feb. 3](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/23/public-invited-to-offer-input-on-the-countys-top-priorities-feb-3/) - The public is invited to offer input on the County’s top priorities on Tuesday, Feb. 3, when the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will hold its meeting in Sonoma Valley. The meeting will include the Board’s annual priority setting session in which supervisors identify the goals they wish to accomplish for the coming year. It
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/23/145824/) - Two emerging threats are looming over California’s future — the prospect of an AI slowdown colliding with an aggressive wealth tax proposal
- [Sonoma Valley Wellness Centers Uplift Students](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/23/sonoma-valley-wellness-centers-uplift-students/) - By Madeleine Edwards Sonoma Sun High School Correspondent Following the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, the Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) discovered an issue that needed to be addressed and appeared to be missing in the lives of numerous Sonoma Valley High School students – an on-campus resource to support the wellness and mental health needs
- [SVUSD Funding Not Based on Enrollment](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/23/svusd-funding-not-based-on-enrollment/) - So, David Bell acknowledges that their decision regarding the charter school cost the district almost a million dollars? And he thinks that’s okay because current Sonoma Valley teachers will leave to teach at the Charter School? Ridiculous. And please stop bringing up declining enrollment— SONOMA VALLEY UNIFIED IS NOT FUNDED BASED ON ENROLLMENT. Our board
- [A Letter to the Community from 1st District Supervisor Hermosillo](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/23/a-letter-to-the-community-from-1st-district-supervisor-hermosillo/) - Dear Friends, The current federal administration has time and time again shown reckless disregard for the rule of law, democratic norms, and basic human dignity. Under the Trump administration, ICE has been transformed from a federal agency into a political weapon. Its actions across the country have eroded public trust and created fear rather than
- [Will Shonbrun: Democracy Depends Upon US](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/23/will-shonbrun-democracy-depends-upon-us/) - In a famous and well -worn phrase attributed to Benjamin Franklin when asked what kind of government the Constitution gave us, he replied, "A Republic, if you can keep it". Whether that quote is accurate is questionable, but it is indeed an accurate definition of the type of government the Founders fashioned; for its time,
- [David Bolling: Trump, Cancer And The Big Lie](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/21/david-bolling-trump-cancer-and-the-big-lie/) - According to Mark Twain (and countless other famous people credited with the quote), “A lie will fly around the world and back while the truth is getting its boots on.” Jonathan Swift, the Irish writer, satirist and author of “Gulliver’s Travels,” gave that thought more heft long before Samuel Clemens was born. Swift wrote, “As
- [SVMA Event: A Conversation with Maija Peeples-Bright - Jan 25](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/22/svma-event-a-conversation-with-maija-peeples-bright-jan-25/) - Event by Sonoma Valley Museum of Art 551 Broadway, Sonoma, CA, United States, California 95476 Join us for a special conversation with visionary artist Maija Peeples-Bright and curator Linda Keaton as they discuss works in Maija Peeples-Bright: Life is Just a Bowl of Terriers. Discover the stories behind Peeples-Bright’s work and her joyful approach to
- [City of Sonoma Tree Inventory and Urban Tree Forest Canopy Studies Completed](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/22/city-of-sonoma-tree-inventory-and-urban-tree-forest-canopy-studies-completed/) - The culmination of a two year effort on the part of three Sonoma commissions and the City Council, the final draft of a Tree Inventory and Canopy Study by the firm PlanIT Geo have been released. 5,070 trees were inventoried; each was measured in various ways, it’s location plotted via GPS for inclusion in a
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/22/145813/) - AI doesn’t just automate tasks—it can make dishonesty easier to rationalize and more likely to happen.
- [California counties must jump through new hoops to get homelessness funds](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/21/california-counties-must-jump-through-new-hoops-to-get-homelessness-funds/) - by Marisa Kendall and Ben Christopher This article was originally published by CalMatters Gov. Gavin Newsom has threatened many times to withhold state homelessness funds from cities and counties that aren’t doing enough to get people off the streets. This year, those threats seem more real than ever. Newsom’s administration and the Legislature are adding new strings to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/21/145806/) - Northern Californians were treated to a rare celestial surprise Monday night as the Northern Lights briefly danced across the sky
- [Editorial: Rezoning and Sonoma’s General Plan ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/21/editorial-rezoning-and-sonomas-general-plan/) - Every city and county is required by state law to have a General Plan, and those General Plans must be updated periodically. Updates include, among other “elements,” conforming plans to state laws put into place, revisions due to changes in technology or scientific understanding like the effects of climate change, updating public safety protocols, recreation,
- [Praxis Zoom Program Jan. 23: AI and Education - What We Need to Know](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/20/praxis-zoom-program-ai-and-education-what-we-need-to-know/) - Friday, January 23 at 4:00 pm on Zoom Tickets: $15 for Praxis members ($20 General) - Click Here! RONALD PURSER, PhD AI and Education: What We Need to Know What is happening to university education? The recent $17 million partnership between Open AI and the California State University system is the latest iteration of the outsourcing
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/20/145800/) - Science suggests that high-tech hand dryers may actually be "microbial catapults" that blast bacteria back onto your skin
- [Madeleine Edwards: High School Editor Joins The Sun](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/20/madeleine-edwards-high-school-editor-joins-the-sun/) - By David Bolling Madeleine Edwards, Sonoma Valley High School Correspondent and Designated Sun Intern (SVHSCDSI) has an unusual, if not unique, student characteristic. She loves to study. Even on her days off. “Hey, You have to go to school, so why not get into it.” Madeleine, a 16-year-old Junior with a passion for theater, psychology,
- [A Message from SVUSD Board President David Bell Regarding the Pride Flag at SVHS](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/20/a-message-from-svusd-board-president-david-bell-regarding-the-pride-flag-at-svhs/) - Dear SVUSD Community, The Flag - I made a mistake. With regard to background on this issue, there have been discussions ongoing for some time with staff to agendize the boards desire for a review of our flag policy. Ultimately, it was offered that the flag be taken down and community reaction would determine if
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/19/145796/) - Scientists are using earthquakes so small humans can’t feel them to uncover a far more complex seismic threat beneath Northern California than previously believed.
- [Larry Barnett: Old Love](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/19/larry-barnett-old-love/) - We only have one word for love, yet love is vastly more than one feeling or experience, so we modify it to better express its nuances. Thus it is we say, “first love” and “young love” when we speak about love in adolescence, implying its fresh excitement and energy. We use “selfish love” to describe
- [Introducing the New Superintendent of SVUSD: Jason Sutter](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/16/introducing-the-new-superintendent-of-svusd-jason-sutter/) - President of the Board of Trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District has announced the appointment of a new Superintendent, confirming what the Sonoma Valley Sun predicted several days ago. His announcement is a follows: January 16, 2026 Dear Employees and Community Members, We are pleased to announce the conclusion of the search for
- [Liz Cheney Lovefest](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/19/liz-cheney-lovefest/) - January 6 Hearings Hero in Sonoma By David Bolling Liz Cheney, the daughter of America’s most polarizing modern vice president, the conservative former Member of Congress who represented uber-conservative Wyoming’s single seat in the House of Representatives, and the most visible Republican hero of the House Select Committee hearings on the January 6 Capitol attack,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/18/145791/) - Most women don't care about penis length or girth—but many men don't believe them
- [Interview with IOLERO Director John Alden](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/18/interview-with-iolero-director-john-alden/) - To listen to the complete interview, CLICK HERE Ken Norton interviews John Alden, Director of the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO) in Sonoma County. Norton introduces Alden’s extensive background in police accountability, including more than 16 years in civilian oversight, prior service as a supervising district attorney handling police misconduct cases,
- [Garrison Keillor Appearance at Sebastiani Theater Rescheduled](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/18/garrison-keillor-appearance-at-sebastiani-theater-rescheduled/) - The recently postponed appearance of Garrison Keillor at the Sebastiani Theatre has been rescheduled for Thursday April 9. Keillor recently fell and broke a shoulder forcing a change in his schedule. Previous tickets will be honored on the April date, or can be purchased at www.sebastianitheatre.com . Garrison Keillor is an American author, storyteller, and
- [Concerned About Recent School Board Decisions](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/17/concerned-about-recent-school-board-decisions/) - Recent decisions by the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees should concern anyone who cares about the future of our public schools. The reported request connected to the removal of the Dragon Pride flag from Sonoma Valley High School, alongside the board’s recent approval of MacArthur Park Charter School after the closure of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/17/145784/) - In the 19th century, the linear idea of time became dominant – with profound implications for how we experience the world
- [SVH Interview: Kelley Kaiser President & CEO, Sonoma Valley Hospital](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/17/svh-interview-kelley-kaiser-president-ceo-sonoma-valley-hospital/) - As Kelley settles into her role as President & CEO at Sonoma Valley Hospital, SVH wanted to give our community a chance to learn more about her perspective, her priorities, and what she’s enjoying most so far. Here are a few questions we asked Kelley as she begins her first full year leading SVH: What
- [Potential Rezoning of Sebastiani Winery Property Draws a Crowd ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/16/potential-rezoning-of-sebastiani-winery-property-draws-a-crowd/) - By Larry Barnett Well over one hundred residents of the City of Sonoma and the adjacent county neighborhoods abutting the city limits gathered at Vintage House on Wednesday, January 14 to review the city’s Draft Land Use Plan. Gathered at tables seating 8-10 people, the attendees were greeted by Jennifer Gates, City of Sonoma Director
- [PRIDE Flag Removed at Sonoma High](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/16/pride-flag-removed-at-sonoma-high/) - The PRIDE Flag, which has been hanging at Sonoma High since 2019, has been removed. It is unknown at this time how the decision was made or by whom. In response to learning about this, Lisa Storment of WakeUp Sonoma released the following statement: "It was brought to our attention today, by district employees, students
- [Objects to Removal Of Pride Flag at Sonoma High](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/16/objects-to-removal-of-pride-flag-at-sonoma-high/) - Dear Editor: I’m writing because I think the community deserves to know… Many of us (at Sonoma High) were surprised to see today that the pride flag (which has flown since 2019 following student advocacy) has been removed and will no longer be flown at the school. There is talk that there was pressure from
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/16/145778/) - How Did Meaning Emerge in a Meaningless Universe? Meaning emerges from goal-directed life forms, not from information or physical patterns alone.
- [Jason Sutter Likely Choice for Sonoma School Superintendent](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/13/jason-sutter-likely-choice-for-sonoma-school-superintendent/) - While unconfirmed, a reliable source has indicated that Jason Sutter, Sonoma resident of 30-plus years and former Principal of Prestwood School, is the likely choice of the Sonoma Valley School District Board of Trustees for the next Superintendent of Schools in Sonoma. He is presently the Assistant Superintendent of the City of Petaluma schools. His
- [Sonoma County Tourism Solicits Community Opinion](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/16/sonoma-county-tourism-solicits-community-opinion/) - Sonoma County Tourism is inviting residents to share their thoughts on tourism in our communities to help shape the future of tourism in Sonoma County — Public feedback will help align tourism efforts with local values and priorities.Complete the survey for a chance to win a $250 VISA gift card.surveymonkey.com/r/SW8D6F9
- [How a Community Holds Together — Even When the World Feels Like It’s Coming Apart](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/15/how-a-community-holds-together-even-when-the-world-feels-like-its-coming-apart/) - Last night, I attended a volunteer appreciation dinner hosted by WakeUp Sonoma. It was a modest gathering in size, but profound in spirit. I’ve lived in this town for many years and have known many of the people who were there—some through work, some through neighborhood ties, and some simply because Sonoma has a way
- [Music in Place: From Mozart to Miles Kicks off February 7](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/15/music-in-place-from-mozart-to-miles-kicks-off-february-7/) - Our stages are dark this January AND we are excited to share our Winter/Spring 2026 Soirée series, From Mozart to Miles, featuring Broadway favorites, classical masterpieces, and a special centennial celebration of Miles Davis. Series passes and tickets for February 7 are now on sale. Love is in the Air – A.C.T. Young Conservatory Cabaret Program Saturday,
- [DíaPaSón Presents "son jarocho" Music at Library](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/15/diapason-presents-son-jarocho-music-at-library/) - Saturday, February 7, 2026 11:00am–12:00pm Join DíaPaSón for an unforgettable celebration of son jarocho, the soulful music and dance tradition of Veracruz, Mexico. This acclaimed Bay Area ensemble brings centuries-old rhythms to life through dynamic performances that blend Spanish, Indigenous, and African influences. Under the direction of María de la Rosa, DíaPaSón’s musicians and dancers
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/15/145767/) - Only in the dream-laden rhythms of REM sleep does consciousness reemerge, and we return with a sense of what it was like for it to vanish
- [Sonoma Historical Society Photos Show Plaza Palm in 1910 and Today](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/15/sonoma-historical-society-photos-show-plaza-palm-in-1910-and-today/) - The towering palm tree in the middle of the grassy area in the horseshoe surrounded by Sonoma Plaza Park was planted around 1910, as the photograph shows. In the background the fountain created by the Women's Club is visible, installed around the same time. The photo above shows the palm as it looks today. It
- [Wait-and-see budget falls short on Californians’ biggest priorities: housing and homelessness, climate change, and public safety](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/15/wait-and-see-budget-falls-short-on-californians-biggest-priorities-housing-and-homelessness-climate-change-and-public-safety/) - By Cal Cities Staff This article was originally published by The League of Californina Cities California Director of Finance Joe Stephenshaw unveiled a $348.9 billion budget today that was light on the details and even lighter on new investments in housing, climate change, and public safety. The budget proposal also sustains a significant cut to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/14/145762/) - Daily protein requirements vary a bit person to person, but some evidence suggests consuming high amounts of protein could do more harm than good.
- [How Californians can use a new state website to block hundreds of data brokers](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/14/how-californians-can-use-a-new-state-website-to-block-hundreds-of-data-brokers/) - by Colin Lecher and Miles Hilton This article was originally published by CalMatters The California Privacy Protection Agency kicked off 2026 by launching a tool that state residents can use to make data brokers delete and stop selling their personal information. The system, known as the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, or DROP, has been in the works for
- [SVMA Presents Maija Peeples-Bright](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/13/svma-presents-maija-peeples-bright/) - January 17, 2026 - April 26, 2026 Maija Peeples-Bright: Life is Just a Bowl of Terriers Opening Reception: Saturday, January 24, 2026 5:00-7:00 PM – Members & General Public Join us for the opening reception of Life is Just a Bowl of Terriers, celebrating the remarkable career of Maija Peeples-Bright. One of the few women
- [Concerns About Charter School Approval](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/13/concerns-about-charter-school-approval/) - Letter to Trustees Regarding the Approval of the MacArthur Park Charter Petition The Board’s January 8th vote to approve the MacArthur Park Charter School petition compels me to write, as the decision raises serious questions about governance, equity, and trust in professional expertise. What troubles me most is not just the outcome of the vote,
- [Vendor Applications and Sponsorship Opportunities Open for 2026 Tuesday Night Market](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/12/vendor-applications-and-sponsorship-opportunities-open-for-2026-tuesday-night-market/) - The City of Sonoma has announced that vendor applications and sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 Sonoma’s Tuesday Night Market season are now open. The market, held in the historic Sonoma Plaza, is a beloved weekly tradition bringing together thousands of visitors to shop, dine, and connect with local farmers, artisans, and businesses. Vendor Applications: Join
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/13/145747/) - A Hidden Stretch of the Sonoma Coast Just Opened to Hikers for the First Time in 100 Years
- [Trashion Fashion Runway Show 2026 Applications are now open!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/13/trashion-fashion-runway-show-2026-applications-are-now-open/) - Deadline to Apply: March 20 (Maximum 40 Entries) Designers are invited to create wearable art that will strut down the runway for the 16th annual Trashion Fashion Shows on April 18th. From first-time makers to seasoned creatives, individuals or groups, including adults, teens, and kids (over age 9), are encouraged to apply. Outfits must be
- [Third Charter School for Sonoma Valley](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/09/third-charter-school-for-sonoma-valley/) - By Anna Pier In a four to one vote, on January 8 the Board of Trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District approved the petition of the MacArthur Park Charter School Board (MPCS) to open a TK–5 (Transitional Kindergarten through Fifth Grade) school in August 2026. The petitioners expect 218 students to open the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/12/145743/) - ‘Brace for impact’: Trump turns fraud into new weapon against blue states
- [Soroptimist of Sonoma Valley Southern Boil and Comedy Show Feb. 7](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/12/soroptimist-of-sonoma-valley-southern-boil-and-comedy-show-feb-7/) - Crabs, prawns, sausage and more at the Vets Hall beginning at 5:30 on February 7. Tickets: CLICK HERE
- [Larry Barnett: Lost in Imaginary Space](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/12/larry-barnett-lost-in-imaginary-space/) - The story of America we were told in school painted a pretty picture. Unfortunately, it was not truthful, as current events make abundantly clear. There were always contradictions within the story of America: Equality under the law accompanied by its opposite; the message of welcome on the Statue of Liberty masking deep resentment of immigrants
- [In-Person Auditions for Transcendance Theatre Company Happening in Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/12/in-person-auditions-for-transcendance-theatre-company-in-sonoma/) - Transcendence Theatre Company is hiring for 2026, seeking bold, passionate, curious artists across disciplines onstage and off. Singers, dancers, musicians, actors, writers, designers, builders, creators, and more. In-person auditions! Sonoma, CA | February 5 & 6 For more information: To Apply CLICK HERE info@TTCsonoma.org 877-424-1414
- [Sonoma Overlook Trail: Interview with 25-Year Volunteer Jackie Steuer](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/11/sonoma-overlook-trail-interview-with-volunteer-jackie-steuer/) - Jackie Steuer has been serving Sonoma Overlook Trail as a Stewards and much more for about 25 years, since its conception. Enjoy this chat between Jackie and Overlook Chair Jess about Jackie’s continuing experience with the Overlook and her background in environmental science, which includes years of service at Yosemite National Park. Sonoma Overlook Trail
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/11/145731/) - The 2,500-year-old secrets to health and wellness (that aren’t secrets at all)
- [A new California Law Requires Tortillas to Include an Extra Ingredient. Here’s Why](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/11/a-new-california-law-requires-tortillas-to-include-an-extra-ingredient-heres-why/) - By Ana Ibarra This article was originally published CalMatters Starting in 2026, California tortillas will contain folic acid to help prevent birth defects—a change aimed at closing a gap for Latina mothers. Tortillas sold in California are going to have a new ingredient, one that’s intended to help nurture healthy infants. Starting Jan. 1, a
- [Objects to Approval of New Charter School](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/10/objects-to-approval-of-new-charter-school/) - At this point there is really no reason to try and help this school district resolve it’s financial problems. The 4 that voted for this should be blamed if the the district remains dysfunctional, with financial issues, and at some point gets taken over by the state. It is stated above that a school near
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/10/145726/) - Worry is wisdom in disguise. Research shows that, when balanced, worry helps us prepare, care, and grow rather than simply panic.
- [City of Sonoma Looking to Fill Positions on Multiple Commissions](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/10/city-of-sonoma-looking-to-fill-positions-on-multiple-commissions/) - The City of Sonoma is currently accepting applications for several City and regional commissions and committees – and encourages the public to apply. Public involvement is essential to good local government. City commissions and committees provide valuable insight, recommendations, and community perspective to the Sonoma City Council on a wide range of topics, from environmental
- [Napa Street Hotel Returns to Planning Commission for Permit Extension](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/10/napa-street-hotel-returns-to-planning-commission-for-permit-extension/) - At its regular meeting of January 15 at 6pm, the Sonoma Planning Commission will consider a request for a permit extension submitted by Darius Anderson of Kenwood Development for its approved hotel on Napa Street. Under the present city regulations, a one-year permit extension may be granted. The developer, now known as The Chateau Sonoma
- [Sonoma County Health Officer Issues Advisory to Not Eat Wild Mushrooms](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/08/sonoma-county-health-officer-issues-advisory-to-not-eat-wild-mushrooms/) - A Sonoma County resident died this past weekend after consuming wild mushrooms. Statewide, there were 35 cases of wild mushroom poisoning, including three deaths and three liver transplants, between Nov. 18 and Jan. 4. Given that, in an average year, fewer than five cases statewide would normally be expected, Sonoma County interim health officer Dr.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/09/145722/) - The federal government has released new dietary guidelines, introducing an emphasis on consuming meat and dairy and avoiding highly processed foods
- [Sonoma Family Meal Report on Fundraising Is Positive](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/08/sonoma-family-meal-report-on-fundraising-is-positive/) - In an email to the community, Whitney Reuling, Executive Director of Sonoma Family Meal reports progress and gives thanks. As we close out an incredible year of growth and impact, we want to pause and say thank you. Because of your generosity, we surpassed our end-of-year fundraising goal, bringing in more than $160,000, well beyond
- [Bombing in Venezuela](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/08/bombing-in-venezuela/) - Borrowed words from the Women’s March Last night, the United States bombed Venezuela’s capital. Our first concern is with Venezuelans living through this violence right now — families, workers, women, migrants, journalists — who did not choose this war and are now carrying its consequences. Venezuelans have endured years of repression and economic collapse. Some
- [Hermosillo Elected Chair of Sonoma County Board of Supervisors](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/07/hermosillo-elected-chair-of-sonoma-county-board-of-supervisors/) - Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo was elected 2026 chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors yesterday, becoming the first Latina to lead the five-member body in the County of Sonoma’s 176-year history. Supervisor Chris Coursey was named vice chair, and Supervisor David Rabbitt was named chair pro-tem. Hermosillo was elected in 2024 to represent the First
- [Sonoma County to Reopen Cavedale Road after Major Dual Landslide Repairs](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/08/sonoma-county-to-reopen-cavedale-road-after-major-dual-landslide-repairs/) - “Cavedale Road serves as a key route for nearby residents and emergency services, and repairing two landslide sites at once required careful planning and coordination,” said Chair Hermosillo. “This work restores full use of the road and significantly improves its resilience during severe weather.” The landslide areas, located within walking distance of one another, required
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/08/145712/) - The first vaccine was a lucky accident. Now we can design new vaccines in weeks, atom by atom
- [Newsom K-12 School Proposal Would Shift More Power to Governor](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/08/newsom-k-12-school-proposal-would-shift-more-power-to-governor/) - by Carolyn Jones This article was originally published by CalMatters Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed paring down the responsibilities of California’s elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction and shifting more power to the State Board of Education. “California can no longer postpone reforms that have been recommended regularly for a century,” Newsom said, referring to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/07/145707/) - Non-sugar sweeteners have shaped diets worldwide, even as public confidence has begun to wobble. New data suggests they’re largely safe.
- [Lasseter Film "Swapped" To Be Previewed at Sebastiani Theater Jan. 9](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/07/lasseter-film-swapped-to-be-previewed-at-sebastiani-theater-jan-9/) - The Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma will host an exclusive preview of Skydance Animation’s upcoming film, “Swapped,” on Friday, January 9. The event will benefit Jack London Park Partners, the non-profit organization that funds and operates Jack London State Historic Park. Producer John Lasseter (“Toy Story,” “Cars,” “A Bug’s Life”), Director Nathan Greno (“Tangled”), and Editor
- [Native Bees Are Top Pollinators and Need Protection](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/07/native-bees-are-top-pollinators-and-need-protection/) - Many native bees spend winter asleep in stems, leaves, and underground burrows. A quiet garden helps them wake up in spring! Leave dead plant stems standing; they shelter mason and leafcutter bees. Avoid disturbing bare soil; mining and sweat bees rest underground. Keep some leaf litter; bumblebee queens seek shelter for winter. Skip winter tilling;
- [City of Sonoma Goal Setting January 30 - Public Invited](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/06/city-of-sonoma-goal-setting-january-30-public-invited/) - The City of Sonoma invites the public to the 2026 Council Goal Setting Session, noon to 5pm, taking place at the Sonoma Community Center, room 110. This is an opportunity for the public to engage with the City Council and help shape the goals and priorities for the year ahead. Key Details: Public Comment Period:
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/06/145700/) - Research indicates that individuals in consensually non-monogamous relationships report levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction that are statistically indistinguishable from those in monogamous unions.
- [About Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Current Immigration Policy](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/04/about-sonoma-county-sheriffs-office-current-immigration-policy/) - As ICE enforcement increases, knowledge about the way in which local law enforcement interacts with ICE is increasingly important. Policy 425 of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office provides guidelines about how the Sheriff's Office interacts with federal immigration officials. Below are the details of that policy. 415.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy
- [Arts Guild of Sonoma Announces Winners for January “Passages” Show](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/06/arts-guild-of-sonoma-announces-winners-for-january-passages-show/) - Sonoma’s longest-running Non-Profit Arts Cooperative Opens the Gallery’s Doors Wide to Showcase Works by Artists from Eight Bay Area Counties The Arts Guild of Sonoma today announced the winners of its January show, “Passages”. The guild’s gallery is featuring the works of artists across the greater Bay Area in a juried 2D and 3D exhibition
- [Larry Barnett: The Loom of Spacetime](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/05/larry-barnett-the-loom-of-spacetime/) - There’s a reason that weaving was among humankind’s first technologies. Spacetime is constantly weaving The Eternal Now, the only time there really is. The fabric of events we tie together into a coherent narrative are the yarns we spin, and like the Ancient Greek mythology of the Fates, help us to find cause and effect
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/05/145692/) - Misinformation long predates the internet, from forged papal decrees to fake Shakespearean annotations. Will our ability to detect deception evolve as fast as the tools that create it?
- [Praxis Peace Institute Zoom Program Features Dilafruz Khonikboyeva](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/05/praxis-peace-institute-zoom-program-features-dilafruz-khonikboyeva/) - Friday, January 16 at 4:00 pm on Zoom Tickets: $15 for Praxis members ($20 General) - Click Here! DILAFRUZ KHONIKBOYEVA Philanthropy and Underfunded Solutions - Unique & Inspiring! Dilafruz Khonikboyeva is the Inaugural Executive Director of Patagonia’s Home Planet Fund. Patagonia’s business model is a triple-botton-line approach that prioritizes planet and people, built on a
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/04/145686/) - Federal judges strike down California open-carry ban on guns
- [California’s budget outlook is grim. Here’s what you need to know](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/02/californias-budget-outlook-is-grim-heres-what-you-need-to-know/) - 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 for fiscal year 2025-26, he told reporters in January. But
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/03/145683/) - Are people born lucky, or do they act in ways that invite good things to happen? What if luck can be practiced?
- [January Plant of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/03/january-plant-of-the-month/) - The Valley of the Moon Garden Club Flower or Plant of the Month: Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future By Sedra Nathan & Hannah Aclufi Historic Symbology For centuries, flowers have carried rich symbolic meaning. The association of carnations and snowdrops with January largely reflects European horticultural traditions. These historic,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/02/145672/) - Overconsumption Affects the Environment and Health. You likely contribute to overconsumption in ways you might not realize
- [Scouts Recycle Christmas Trees](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/02/scouts-recycle-christmas-trees/) - Sonoma Valley Girl scouts are returning this year to uphold a long-standing tradition of recycling Christmas trees in the valley. They will be going through Sonoma neighborhoods on the first two Saturdays in 2026, January 3rd, and concluding January 10th. For Kenwood area and rural areas, please go to sonomagirlscouts.com to register for a rural
- [Katy Byrne: Restarting ](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/02/katy-byrne-restarting/) - 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, The Sun newspaper has continued onward, in spite of the
- [Happy New Year Sonoma!](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/01/happy-new-year-sonoma-2/)
- [Appreciates Article About Economics of School Enrollment](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/01/appreciates-article-about-economics-of-school-enrollment/) - Thanks to Helen Marsh for her article - one does have to wonder if we are spending funds that mostly benefit the students - and of course, turnover in key leadership positions means we make no progress and only lose ground as each respective leader tries to impose their own twist on the direction of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/01/145663/) - Unnecessary eating is often triggered by emotions. Here's how to tell if you're an emotional eater.
- [David Bolling: The Dog Dilemma](https://sonomasun.com/2026/01/01/david-bolling-the-dog-dilemma/) - 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 Bob Edwards are privileged to use) he knows the meaning
- [Declining Enrollment in SVUSD:  Boom or Bust?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/30/declining-enrollment-in-svusd-boom-or-bust/) - 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, and many others. In the 1970s through the 1990s, Sonoma
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/31/145659/) - Contrary to popular beliefs about winter sluggishness and depression, human cognition is not affected by the seasons
- [Five New California Traffic Laws Going into Effect in 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/31/five-new-traffic-laws-going-into-effect-in-2026/) - 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 or slow down. Use of cameras to enforce red light
- [Bob Edwards: What Are The Odds?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/31/bob-edwards-what-are-the-odds/) - 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 billion are 292.2 million to 1. Actually, 292,201,338 to 1,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/30/145654/) - Some people with advanced dementia show sudden, brief returns of clarity near the end of life—speaking, remembering, reconnecting. What is terminal lucidity?
- [New California laws rewrite car-buying rules with return policy and pricing reforms](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/27/new-california-laws-rewrite-car-buying-rules-with-return-policy-and-pricing-reforms/) - by Ryan Sabalow This article was originally published by CalMatters California lawmakers made major changes to the state’s car-buying rules this year, including a controversial rewrite of the state law that allows buyers to get their money back if they are sold a defective vehicle and a right to return a used vehicle within three days.
- [Editorial: On Being Heard ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/30/editorial-on-being-heard/) - 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. The daily posts by Donald Trump provide plenty of evidence
- [Larry Barnett: Haben Zu Gut Geschlafen?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/29/larry-barnett-haben-zu-gut-geschlafen/) - 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 difficulty sleeping; I’m not one of them. When I fluff
- [Artist Laura Griffith Exhibit at Sonoma Valley Library](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/29/artist-laura-griffith-exhibit-at-sonoma-valley-library/) - The Sonoma Valley Regional Library, in conjunction with the Friends of the Sonoma Valley Library, is hosting an exhibition of elegant oil paintings by Laura Griffith from January 1 - 31. The public is invited to meet the artist at a reception on Friday, January 9 from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm in the library’s
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/28/145645/) - Perhaps the most remarkable fact about the Universe is simply that it, and everything in it, exists. But what’s the reason why?
- [Minimum Wage Increases in the City of Sonoma Beginning January 1, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/28/minimum-wage-increases-in-the-city-of-sonoma-beginning-january-1-2026/) - 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 anyone working over two hours weekly within city limits. Sonoma
- [The Weather is Clear and Chilly, But Rain Will Return Next Wednesday](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/28/the-weather-is-clear-and-chilly-but-rain-will-return-next-wednesday/) - 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.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/27/145639/) - Giant Study Reveals a Major Surprise About Medical Cannabis
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: What is Weird?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/27/josette-brose-eichar-what-is-weird/) - Growing up I was told I was weird, not normal. Small and skinny with curly hair that stood on end, because my mom put a bowl on my head and cut around it. My horrible eyesight was not discovered until the third grade. I could not see anything that was not a foot or two
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/26/145636/) - The sea level is rising – but by how much? How do you measure the height of something that’s constantly moving up and down?
- [California K-12 Schools Brace for Another Year of Uncertainty](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/26/california-k-12-schools-brace-for-another-year-of-uncertainty/) - by Carolyn Jones This article was first published by CalMatters Last year was tumultuous for California K-12 schools and their 5.8 million students — at least at the federal level. President Donald Trump slashed funding to schools, set about dismantling the U.S. Department of Education and launched an immigration crackdown that left countless families afraid to send their children to school. The
- [A New Year...A New Job? The County of Sonoma is Hiring](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/26/a-new-year-a-new-job-the-county-of-sonoma-is-hiring/) - Here's a link to the latest job opportunities with Sonoma County. Job openings are updated weekly on the Job Line, (707) 565-2803. Applications can be submitted online. Paper applications and job announcements are available in the hallway of the Administration Building at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA or you may receive them by mail if you
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/25/145631/) - Why nothing matters: It took centuries for people to embrace the zero. Now it’s helping neuroscientists understand how the brain perceives absences
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/24/145625/) - 4 surprising, proven rules to avoid getting sick this winter. Science is uncovering lesser-known tricks that make a real difference
- [New Tax Laws, Real-Life Impacts: What Sonoma Residents Should Know](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/24/new-tax-laws-real-life-impacts-what-sonoma-residents-should-know/) - By Jack Ding, Enrolled Agent & Sonoma City Council Member As both a local tax professional and a member of the Sonoma City Council, I hear the same concern again and again: “The cost of living keeps rising, but our income doesn’t.” Groceries, insurance, utilities, and housing are all more expensive than they were just
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "We could read the news, but then we'd know the news."](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/24/cartoon-by-hilary-we-could-read-the-news-but-then-wed-know-the-news/) - Hilary Campbell is a The New Yorker Magazine cartoonist, author and humorist who just happens to have been born and raised in Sonoma.
- [Increasingly Ignored, Annoyed & Rattled Property Owners](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/23/increasingly-ignored-annoyed-rattled-property-owners/) - The following letter was sent to officials in Sonoma County, and a copy sent to the Sonoma Valley Sun. Dear Madam Supervisor, Ms. Rivera and Mr. Hoevertsz: We who live off of Norrom Rd and in the Mission Highlands neighborhood that is accessed by Norrbom Road and other smaller roads from the Square of Downtown
- [Larry Barnett: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/23/larry-barnett-mercy-mercy-mercy/) - There’s no shortage of anger in the world. People go out of their way to punish or harm others with their words and opinions. Social media has become a hotbed of cruelty, falsehood and accusation, and people are numbed by an endless stream of insults and invective emanating from strangers, and even America’s highest office
- [Katy Byrne: Saying Yes to Life](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/23/katy-byrne-saying-yes-to-life/) - I made a list of the worst and best moments in my life this week. I recommend doing it to see what you’ll learn. What matters most? What can be done to help the world? How will 2026 be different? When, in my past, was I happiest? Why do some moments in life stand out,
- [City of Sonoma Offices Will Be Closed for the Holidays](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/22/city-of-sonoma-offices-will-be-closed-for-the-holidays/) - City of Sonoma offices will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, 2025 – Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the Christmas and New Years’ holidays.
- [Trump move to break up atmospheric research center threatens wildfire, storm predictions](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/22/trump-move-to-break-up-atmospheric-research-center-threatens-wildfire-storm-predictions/) - by Rachel Becker This article was first Published by CalMatters California officials and researchers across the country are sounding the alarm about the Trump administration’s plans to dismember a global hub for weather, wildfire and climate science: the Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research. Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget, posted Tuesday on the
- [Sonoma Couple Teach Science to Tibetan Monks](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/20/teaching-science-to-tibetan-monks/) - By Larry Barnett Linda Shore and her husband David Barker, Sonoma residents for the past 20 years, have traveled to Northern India a dozen times to teach science to Tibetan Buddhist monks. The couple bring some unique talents and experience to the task; both were long-term employees at San Francisco’s Exploratorium, the hands-on science museum
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/22/145608/) - The frontier of medicine is shifting — from fighting disease to pursuing more life itself
- [Will Shonbrun: Death and Other Errant Thoughts](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/22/will-shonbrun-death-and-other-errant-thoughts/) - Some 40 years ago, upon landing in Northern California, I took a course in Death and Dying based on the book by Stephen Levine, Who Dies, and the work about those themes by American guru Baba Ram Dass. It was a fascinating study over the period of about a year or so, focused on a
- [Teri Shore: Ocean is Close to Home](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/22/teri-shore-ocean-is-close-to-home/) - The Sonoma Coast may be an hour or so away from Sonoma Valley, but it is close to home in many ways. Sonoma Creek connects us directly as it flows into San Pablo Bay and then out the Golden Gate into the Pacific Ocean. Many of us enjoy eating fish and fresh crab this time
- [Silver Moon Theatre presents Laugh a Minute Comedy at Murphy’s Irish Pub, Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/21/silver-moon-theatre-presents-laugh-a-minute-comedy-at-murphys-irish-pub-sonoma/) - When you think that the post holiday doldrums of winter will be taking over your life, Silver Moon Theatre is bringing you a laugh a minute rescue from boredom. Opening on Thursday January 15, 2026 for a nine performance run at Murphy’s Irish Pub in Sonoma, “Bullshot Crummond”, a parody of the 1930s Bulldog Drummond
- [Live Nativity Features Live Menagerie](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/21/live-nativity-features-live-menagerie/) - Story and Photos by David Bolling We all know the story and most of us can sing the songs. But it’s rare when we get to witness the menagerie that, we are told, surrounded the virgin birth, a story that – whatever your religion, belief system, tradition, race, culture or place of origin – has
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/21/145602/) - Rob Reiner was more than a Hollywood liberal. He was a sophisticated political operator
- [Seth Dolinsky: Community Gardens, Community Farms?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/21/seth-dolinsky-community-gardens-community-farms-2/) - Second of Two Parts By Seth Dolinsky The first installation of this article looked at the benefits of community access to land for food production. Community gardens, school gardens, along with private farms and gardens growing for public benefit, have proven invaluable to our Sonoma Valley population. Local, fresh produce, which defines the majority of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/20/145594/) - Teaching kids that they must provide physical affection to make adults happy can be a dangerous lesson
- [Jack London Hits 150](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/18/jack-london-hits-150/) - By Jonah Raskin “I would rather burn than rot,” he wrote. And burn he did for most of his life, which began in San Francisco in 1876 and ended in Glen Ellen in 1916 when he was 40-years-old and the author of more than 50 books. This year, Jack London fans in Sonoma, in The
- [Another Marathon School Board Meeting](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/16/another-marathon-school-board-meeting/) - Trustees Name New President, Look at Fiscal Status and Low Student Achievement By Anna Pier The Sonoma Valley Unified Board of Trustees, meeting on December 10 at the District office building, first held a two-hour Closed Session, then reconvened in Open Session for 3 1/2 hours. After a presentation by the students of Altimira
- [Bob Edwards: Would Jesus Ban Dogs On The Plaza?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/20/bob-edwards-would-jesus-ban-dogs-on-the-plaza/) - If tacky yard signs periodically posted at all its entrances are any indication, there is no greater violation of the Ten Commandments or affront to Human Decency than allowing a Canis Lupis Familiaris – a Dog – to set a single paw on the grounds of Sonoma’s City Plaza. The penalty for their scofflaw owners
- [Presentation About American Fascism in Oakmont Jan. 12, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/19/presentation-about-american-fascism-in-oakmont-jan-12-2026/) - A presentation on American Fascism will be given by labor historian Fred Glass on Monday, January 12, 2026 at the East Rec Center in Oakmont, 7902 Oakmont Drive. The presentation begins at 7:00 p.m.
- [Rain Forecast for the Week Ahead Revised to 8" of Rain - Flood Watch Issued](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/19/rain-forecast-for-the-week-ahead-revised-to-7-of-rain/) - The weather forecast now includes days of rain right through Christmas Day, beginning later today. Sustained rainfall like this will produce local flooding in places like Schellville, and local creeks. Be prepared. A flood watch has been issued for the North Bay covering Saturday through Monday. DO NOT try to drive through flooded roads, and
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/19/145583/) - The first complex organisms to colonize the continental landmasses of Earth were neither plant nor animal, but fungi.
- [David Bolling: Why We Should Be Thanking Trump](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/19/david-bolling-why-we-should-be-thanking-trump/) - By David Bolling While Donald Trump continues to behave with the emotional maturity of a hormone-addled, poorly educated, over-privileged teen, continues to demean virtually anyone and everyone who disagrees with him, criticizes him, or simply tells him things he doesn’t want to hear, and has left parts of the federal government in literal rubble, it
- [Do You Live in a High Earthquake Liquefaction Zone?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/19/do-you-live-in-a-high-earthquake-liquefaction-zone/) - Liquefaction is the transformation of ground into a semi-fluid state during an earthquake, which can cause an increased risk of structural collapse. The County of Sonoma has produced a map of liquefaction risk zones, and give the recent quake activity in Sonoma Valley, it's prudent to know the degree of liquefaction risk. Most of the
- [Ron Wellander Selected as Mayor of the City of Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/18/ron-wellander-selected-as-mayor-of-the-city-of-sonoma/) - At its meeting of December 17, 2025, as part of its year-end council reorganization, the City Council of the City of Sonoma selected Ron Wellander as its Mayor for the year 2026. Wellander is serving his first term as councilman, having previously served as Chair of the Planning Commission before being elected to the council.
- [Small Quakes Rock Glen Ellen-Kenwood](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/15/quake-strikes-glen-ellen-rogers-creek-letting-off-steam/) - Rogers Creek-Healdsburg Fault Likely Source By David Bolling The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has not yet identified the source of the series of small earthquakes that rattled homes in Glen Ellen on Sunday, December 14, but the likely suspect is the Rogers Creek-Healdsburg fault system that is increasingly overdue statistically for a major seismic
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/18/145575/) - The onslaught of nutritional studies of questionable practical significance can churn one’s stomach
- [Kathleen Hill: Eating through Christmas and New Years 2025](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/18/kathleen-hill-eating-through-christmas-and-new-years-2025/) - Friday Farmers Market opens Tuesday Thale MacRostie confirmed that the next Friday morning Farmers Market will actually be on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at its usual location on First Street West. Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Think about getting there early because the pre-Thanksgiving market was packed with local customers. While many
- [Busy As a Beaver in Sonoma Valley, for Good Reason](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/18/busy-as-a-beaver-in-sonoma-valley-for-good-reason/) - From Sonoma County Regional Parks Our wildlife cameras at this Sonoma Valley park captured a few hardworking beavers dragging branches and twigs from land to water over the course of several nights — and even putting up with some very curious raccoons! You might call them the ultimate preppers, storing plenty of food to last
- [Editorial: What Is a Profession and Why Does It Matter? ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/17/what-is-a-profession-and-why-does-it-matter/) - In a ground shaking change, the Trump administration has redefined what constitutes a “profession.” This unexplained and senseless decision not only demeans the work of a whole body of trained professionals, but threatens the potential reimbursement or financial help provided by the federal government to people who wish to pursue various careers. Nursing, shockingly, is
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/17/145566/) - Scientists use hydrothermal liquefaction to 'magically' turn ordinary food waste into jet fuel without any fossil fuel additives
- [Boebert Bill Would Overturn ESA to Permit Killing Wolves](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/16/boebert-bill-would-overturn-esa-to-permit-killing-wolves/) - Editor: The bill by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) to strip away all remaining federal protections for gray wolves was (at press time) expected to come up for a vote in the House December 18. The bill (H.R. 845) is misleadingly named the “Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025,” but the true purpose is to
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/16/145559/) - The pull to conform to a group can cause us to doubt the evidence right in front of our eyes. Today’s online environment intensifies this effect
- [Larry Barnett: Home Alone](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/16/larry-barnett-home-alone/) - Common wisdom is that women live longer than men, but at a recent holiday party, I found myself in the company of two other widowers. Like most men, we conversed stoically about the loss of our wives in straightforward fashion; there were no tears shed as we spoke about feeling lonely and sad, although we
- [Local Youth Photographer Wins Big, Again](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/16/local-youth-photographer-wins-big-again/) - By Anna Pier Leo Dale's stunning image of a coyote at sunset won first place in the Young Nature Photographers (under 18) of the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) annual photo competition. Dale, who turned 18 in September 2025, took the photo at Point Reyes National Seashore in November 2024. He submitted it to the NWF
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/15/145553/) - The Roots of Dementia Trace Back All The Way to Childhood, Experts Find
- [A Week or More of Rain Ahead as Wet Weather Returns](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/14/a-week-of-rain-ahead-as-wet-weather-returns/) - After a prolonged cold and dry spell, rain returns to the North Bay beginning Tuesday and will last on and off for a full week, according to recent forecasts. The accumulation of of rain should amount to several inches, and there is the possibility of local flooding in the usual locations around Sonoma Valley. The
- [California Joins State Coalition to Oppose Trump's $100,000 H1B Visa Fee](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/15/california-joins-state-coalition-to-oppose-trumps-100000-h1b-visa-fee/) - Hospitals and other healthcare centers rely on the H-1B visa program to hire physicians, surgeons and nurses, often times in low-income and working-class neighborhoods. Nearly 17,000 H-1B visas went to workers in medicine and health occupations in the 2024 fiscal year, and half of those were physicians and surgeons. Without foreign-trained physicians, the United States
- [Sonoma Botanical Garden presents Bonsai & Blossoms](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/14/sonoma-botanical-garden-presents-bonsai-blossoms/) - The delicate beauty of winter’s flowering trees is the highlight of this year’s bonsai exhibition On view January 9 – March 22, 2026 This winter, step into a wonderland of beautifully blooming miniature trees as Sonoma Botanical Garden presents Bonsai & Blossoms, an indoor exhibition celebrating the living art of bonsai meticulously cultivated to bloom
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/14/145546/) - Why advanced societies fall for mass delusion: Harari explains that “The problem is in our information, if you give good people bad information, they make bad decisions.”
- [Napa Street Hotel Requests Permit Extension to January 2027](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/14/napa-street-hotel-requests-permit-extension-to-january-2027/) - The applicant provided a letter with the following information to highlight their efforts to move the project forward. The project was initially applied for in 2012 and upon approval by Planning Commission in 2023 and amended by the City Council in January 2024, the developers were faced with a post-pandemic industry, which limited the available
- [40,000 People Died on California Roads. State Leaders Looked Away](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/12/40000-people-died-on-california-roads-state-leaders-looked-away/) - by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler This article was originally published by CalMatters At a California State Senate committee hearing this year, the director of CalTrans, Tony Tavares, showed a simple chart that might have caused the assembled lawmakers some alarm. It was a series of black bars representing the death toll on California’s roads in each of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/12/145542/) - One Critical Factor Predicts Longevity Better Than Diet or Exercise, Study Says: SLEEP
- [Sonoma's General Plan Draft Land Use Element Now Available for Public Review](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/11/sonomas-general-plan-draft-land-use-element-now-available-for-public-review/) - The City of Sonoma is in the process of updating its General Plan, which includes updating the Land Use Element in the plan. The Land Use Element in a General Plan provides for development and resource conservation, while promoting diverse opportunities for economic development and encouraging the provision of a range of housing options attainable
- [Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Education Elects David Bell as Board President](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/12/sonoma-valley-unified-school-district-board-of-education-elects-david-bell-as-board-president/) - The Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) Board of Education has elected Trustee David Bell to serve as Board President for the 2025-26 school year. The election was made at the Board’s Annual Organization Meeting held on December 10th. During the meeting, the Board also elected Jason Lehman as Vice President and Gerardo Guzman as
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/11/145536/) - Can Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Affect Gender Identity?
- [Community Meeting for Sebastiani Winery Potential Land Use Change Scheduled by City of Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/09/community-meeting-for-sebastiani-potential-land-use-scheduled-by-city-of-sonoma/) - Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The Vintage House, 264 First Street East, Sonoma CA 95476 As part of the General Plan Update, the City is studying a potential land use change for the Sebastiani Winery property. City staff and the Planning Commission General Plan Ad Hoc invite the community to learn more about
- [Advocates Boycott and General Strike](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/11/advocates-boycott-and-general-strike/) - Editor: I think it’s high time we added boycotts and a general strike to our tools in fighting fascism in the Trump administration, re: their attacks on the immigrant communities and their getting substantial funding from the likes of Home Depot and other major chains in Sonoma. Let’s call attention to these disreputable people promoting
- [Sun Announces Public Invitation to Submit Photos Chronicling 2025](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/09/sun-announces-public-invitation-to-submit-photos-chronicling-2025/) - In the first issue of 2026, the Sonoma Valley Sun will be running photos from our archives and from the public to chronicle 2025. Interested readers are invited to send photos of any scene, event or candid moment from 2025. Photos should be in high-res jpeg format, ideally at least half a megabyte (mb) in
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/10/145526/) - Tell Your Teenager to Go to Bed. Sleep deprivation is derailing teens, and firm boundaries are what is needed
- [Dickens’ Scrooge Plays Andrews Hall](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/10/dickens-scrooge-plays-andrews-hall/) - Christmas Carol Features Larry Williams By Madeleine Edwards Sonoma Arts Live will put on a musical production of the play “Scrooge” from December 5 to 21. The musical is adapted from the iconic novel, “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens. The musical will be performed in Andrews Hall at the Sonoma Community Center, and is
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/09/145520/) - Time might not exist – and we're starting to understand why. The closer we look at time, the stranger it gets
- [Supervisor Hermosillo Releases District 1 Newsletter](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/09/supervisor-hermosillo-releases-district-1-newsletter/) - "It has been my privilege to serve as your First District Supervisor, and I'm so excited for the years to come. Please continue reading for a roundup of all things happening in the First District, and I'm wishing you and your loved ones a fun and festive holiday season!" -- 1st District Supervisor of Sonoma
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/08/145511/) - A new ancient DNA study argues that the familiar house cat is a relative latecomer, carried from North Africa into Europe only in 2,000 years ago
- [Larry Barnett: The Engine of Civilization?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/08/larry-barnett-the-engine-of-civilization/) - I watched the news today, "oh boy," about AI for weapons-equipped drones. The General in charge of that program spoke about being prepared to fight China, which has greatly improved its military capabilities. So here we are, thick in the middle of the digital age but once again turning our attention to war. Until the
- [California students with disabilities face ‘terrifying’ special ed cuts after Trump changes](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/08/california-students-with-disabilities-face-terrifying-special-ed-cuts-after-trump-changes/) - by Carolyn Jones Originally published by CalMatters Sleep is a rare commodity at Lindsay Crain’s house. Most nights, she and her husband are up dozens of times, tending to their daughter’s seizures. The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours. But these days, that’s not the only thing keeping Crain awake. The
- [Katy Byrne: Fa la la la la, Falderol and Holiday Next Steps](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/07/kty-byrne-fa-la-la-la-la-falderol-and-holiday-next-steps/) - It’s definitely the “holidaze,” inviting feelings and emotional hairballs of all kinds! It’s been a rumbling year, pulling me toward some memories I wish to forget. The season lurks around us, with longing for what is lost and wanting more of whatever we don’t have. On the up side, there’s the thrill of good music
- [Cartoon by Hilary](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/08/cartoon-by-hilary-2/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker magazine cartoonist, humorist, and book author who just happens to have been born and raised in Sonoma.
- [New Chief Medical Officer at Sonoma Valley Hospital](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/07/new-chief-medical-officer-at-sonoma-valley-hospital/) - Sonoma Valley Hospital welcomed Dr. Patrick Okolo to the hospital staff in early October as Chief Medical Officer. A nationally recognized physician leader and academic gastroenterologist, he brings extensive experience in clinical excellence, quality improvement, and organizational leadership. In addition to his leadership responsibilities, Dr. Okolo will continue to practice gastroenterology at Sonoma Valley Hospital.
- [City of Sonoma Announces Ada Limón as 2026 Treasure Artist](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/07/city-of-sonoma-announces-ada-limon-as-2026-treasure-artist/) - The City of Sonoma and the Cultural and Fine Arts Commission are honored to announce that acclaimed poet Ada Limón has been selected as the 2026 Sonoma Treasure Artist. Limón is the first poet and only the second writer to receive this distinction since the program began in 1983. Limón’s connection to Sonoma is longstanding
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/07/145500/) - A new study finds a possible association between GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and chronic cough, though the authors are calling for more research
- [Sonoma Nature Photographer Takes First Place in International Competition](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/04/sonoma-nature-photographer-takes-first-place-in-international-competition/) - By Anna Pier Leo Dale captured this stunning image of a bobcat with prey at Point Reyes at dusk last January. He was notified in November that he was awarded first place, Youth Division (10 -17 years), in the Nature Photographer of the Year competition offered by the international nature photography organization, Nature Talks. Dale
- [Will Shonbrun: Books, and The Great Lies that Tell the Truth](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/07/will-shonbrun-books-and-the-great-lies-that-tell-the-truth/) - Albert Camus wrote of fiction as, “the great lie through which we tell the truth.” So what are the “great lies” and what are the “truths” they tell? Now, to be sure, 'great' is in the mind of the beholder. But the “great lies" referred to in novels is the process of capturing of life,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/06/145494/) - There is nothing wrong with pleasure — all pleasures are good — but the source of those pleasures can be bad when they cause you or others pain
- [Bob Edwards: Climate Change Catastrophe? Meh!](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/06/bob-edwards-climate-change-catastrophe-meh/) - Notwithstanding the work of 30 global environmental conferences and Sonoma County’s strict recycling rules (‘No tampons in the blue can’), climate change is definitely coming. But not to worry. Our planet has gone through many climate changes in its 4.5 billion-year history, each of which has vastly altered global weather, landscapes, ecosystems and inhabitants (See:
- [In Tears](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/06/in-tears/) - Oh my, I’m in tears, dear Raymond. You are a wonderful example for all of us, helping us see each other,.our woundedness, our open hearts,, how we are all connected in this troubled, beautiful world. Thank you for showing how each one of us can make a difference, big or small, and that is how
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club Flowers of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/06/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-flowers-of-the-month/) - Honoring the Old, Respecting the Present, & Planting for the Future By Vincent Distrola, Hannah Aclufi, and Sedra Nathan Birth month flowers for December: Paperwhites and Holly When we think of December, flowers may not be the first thing to come to mind. Instead we might think more in terms of smell; the spruce and
- [Doubtful About "Nationwide Search" for Superintendent](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/05/doubtful-about-nationwide-search-for-superintendent/) - Sadly, hiring folks from out of the Valley with zero investment in our schools has, and will not work in our favor. Ever. For them, it will never be more than “just a job.” A “nationwide search” only finds the people who want to pad their resume or raise their pay scale and move on.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/05/145481/) - Scientists have proved the worth of volcanic ashes from Mount Etna in Sicily as a soil fertilizer
- [Healing Happens in a Parking Lot](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/05/healing-happens-in-a-parking-lot/) - Editor’s Note: The following story, posted on Nextdoor Marty Drive, captures both the spirit of the season and an essential lesson in paying attention to what matters in the moment. My name's Raymond. I'm 73. I work the parking lot at St. Joseph's Hospital. Minimum wage, orange vest, a whistle I barely use. Most people
- [David Bolling: Communism, Capitalism and Christ ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/05/david-bolling-communism-capitalism-and-christ/) - Donald Trump, who has demonstrated neither interest in nor aptitude for knowing and understanding world history, has seized on the word “communism” as a favorite pejorative to define many of his most prominent political enemies. He insists in countless email messages that, “Known Communists, like U.S. Members of Congress Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/04/145476/) - Coffee and tea offer many surprising health benefits for diabetes, liver disease, cancer, and even dementia. Learn more about how to age better with coffee or tea—or both!
- [E-scooter-Car collision Highlights Safety Issues](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/02/e-scooter-car-collision-highlights-safety-issues/) - Helmet Law Ignored and Unenforced By David Bolling A Sonoma Valley juvenile, riding what police described as an electric “stand-on scooter,” sped through the intersection of Robinson Road and Fano Lane just after 12:30 p.m. on November 25, and collided with the left rear corner of a Mini Cooper. The rider, who was under the
- [Animal Activist Zoe Rosenberg Sentenced to 90 Days for Chicken Theft](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/04/animal-activist-zoe-rosenberg-sentenced-to-90-days-for-chicken-theft/) - Animal activist Zoe Rosenberg, who captured three chickens from a chicken farm in Petaluma to rescue them from slaughter and what she says was poor living conditions, has been sentenced to 90 days by the Sonoma County Superior Court. A portion of the 90 days will be spent in jail alternatives, such as electronic home
- [Editorial: An Open Letter to the Sonoma Valley School Board ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/03/editorial-an-open-letter-to-the-sonoma-valley-school-board/) - Don't Blow It Again Dear Trustees, Sonoma Valley Unified School Board has an abysmal record in hiring superintendents. The last three served only two years each, and two of those three required heavy payouts, then you gifted a bonus to the most recent superintendent after she had announced her departure. All this in a District
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/03/145470/) - Tea Is Great for Your Heart and Mind, But There Can Be Some Downsides to the Beverage
- [50-cent Toll Increase on Tap at Seven Bay Area Bridges](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/03/50-cent-toll-increase-on-tap-at-seven-bay-area-bridges/) - The Metropolitan Transit Authority has announced that with the new year just weeks away, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) reminds drivers that tolls at the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges will go up by 50 cents on Jan. 1, 2026. This will be the first in a series of five toll increases to be
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/02/145464/) - Study Reveals The Age You Hit The 'Tipping Point' Into Frailty
- [Larry Barnett: What's to Become of Us?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/02/larry-barnett-whats-to-become-of-us/) - The student of history quickly learns that new technologies do more than support the operation of culture, they transform and replace it. From the wheel to the plow, from the printing press to the iMac computer, society and everyday lives take on the characteristics of adopted technologies. Older technologies become obsolete; it’s a Law of
- [Nominations Now Open for the 2026 City of Sonoma Honorary Alcalde](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/29/nominations-now-open-for-the-2026-city-of-sonoma-honorary-alcalde/) - The City of Sonoma has announced that nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 Honorary Alcalde, a longstanding tradition recognizing a Sonoma Valley resident (or couple) whose commitment, service, and leadership have made a meaningful and lasting impact on the community. Since 1975, each Honorary Alcalde has been celebrated at a City-hosted reception, participated
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/01/145458/) - What we still don’t know about weight-loss drugs: Questions surround their effects on brain health, pregnancy or long-term use
- [Sonoma City Council to Discuss Changes in Mobilehome Park Ordinance in Study Session 12/3](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/01/sonoma-city-council-to-discuss-changes-in-mobilehome-ordinance-in-study-session-12-3/) - At its meeting beginning at 6pm on December 3, 2025, Sonoma's City Council will hold a study session on proposed changes to the city's Mobilehome Ordinance. Modification of state law and concerns raised by mobilehome owners and residents have prompted the review. There are approximately 6-700 residents in mobile home parks within the City of
- [Here's Who's Running for California Governor in 2026...So Far](https://sonomasun.com/2025/12/01/heres-whos-running-for-california-governor-in-2026-so-far/) - The 2026 California gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of California. The nonpartisan top-two primary election will take place on June 2, 2026. Incumbent Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and ineligible for election to a third term. As of November 2025, over two dozen candidates have declared campaigns, and the field is expected to grow. Republicans
- [Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury Reports on Gaps in Evacuation Plans](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/30/sonoma-county-civil-grand-jury-reports-on-gaps-in-evacuation-plans/) - Sonoma County's emergency evacuation plans face significant challenges, highlighting the need for improved infrastructure, communication, and compliance with state mandates. To read the entire report, CLICK HERE. Here is a summary of the conclusions of Sonoma County's Civil Grand Jury: Emergency Evacuation Challenges in Sonoma County Sonoma County has experienced multiple wildfires and floods, revealing
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/30/145450/) - The discourse around progress and humanity has really heated up. Are we on the right track? What are we doing? Do we even know what we're doing? Maybe modernity was a mistake.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/29/145448/) - How did the first words originate? The first words may have emerged 135,000 years ago
- [SB 707 Has Dramatically Overhauled California's Brown Act](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/27/sb-707-has-dramatically-overhauled-californias-brown-act/) - A dramatic overhaul of local government meeting requirements By Johnnie Pina, legislative advocate (governance) California League of Cities Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed SB 707 (Durazo), a dramatic overhaul of local government meeting requirements, into law. Although the bill incorporates language from Cal Cities’ sponsored legislation and is aimed at improving transparency and public engagement,
- [Clarification Needed on SB 707 Brown Act Revisions](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/28/clarification-on-sb-707-brown-act-revisions/) - Having reviewed the actual language of SB 707. Counties with a population of more than 30,000 are also included in the definition of “Eligible legislative body”. From SB 707: (2) “Eligible legislative body” means any of the following: (B) A county board of supervisors of a county, or city and county, with a population of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/28/145443/) - Trump admin moves to resume sharing Medicaid data with ICE. States may try to block it.
- [November is National Family Caregivers Month](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/27/november-is-national-family-caregivers-month/) - In Sonoma County, older adults (age 60 +) comprise about 28% of the population — and are projected to reach ~35% by 2030. Nationally, more than 53 million Americans provide unpaid care to a loved one. The value of unpaid caregiving is estimated at $522 billion+ annually. More than 56,000 older adults (42% of that
- [The SMART Tax Renewal Initiative Petition Has Been Submitted](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/28/the-smart-tax-renewal-initiative-petition-has-been-submitted/) - Supporters of the SMART Train submitted 71,851 signatures for a petition to place a funding renewal measure on the June 2026 ballot, exceeding the required 48,809 signatures for success. This citizen-led initiative aims to allow the measure to pass with a simple majority vote, as opposed to the higher threshold required for a direct ballot
- [Commission on Human Rights Requesting Adjustments of Percentages of Measure O for Housing](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/28/commission-on-human-rights-requesting-adjustments-of-percentages-of-measure-o/) - In a letter to the Sonoma County Bord of Supervisors, the Sonoma County Commission in Human Rights requests additional funding to close the gap caused by the Trump Administration cutbacks in funds for the unhoused. With the Federal cutbacks introduced last week the homeless organizations of Sonoma County are in absolute turmoil. Remember back in
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/27/145440/) - Real gratitude is slow and peculiar. It arrives mixed with longing, memory, guilt, joy, and the faint ache that comes from recognizing how fragile life can be.
- [A spate of new studies gives the lowdown on California’s sky-high living costs](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/25/a-spate-of-new-studies-gives-the-lowdown-on-californias-sky-high-living-costs/) - By Dan Walters (Originally published by CalMatters) We Californians know, or should know, that while living in this state has many positive aspects, we are paying through the nose for the experience. A flurry of recent studies drives home how deeply California residents must dig to meet costs of living that are either at or
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/26/145431/) - ‘We’re basically pushers’: Court filing alleges staff at social media giants compared their platforms to drugs
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "Do not eat pie contest"](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/26/cartoon-by-hilary-do-not-eat-the-pie-contest/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker magazine cartoonist who just happens to have been born and raised in Sonoma.
- [Katy Byrne: Fractured Families and Friends](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/26/katy-byrne-fractured-families-and-friends/) - What to do? In my 50 years as a psychotherapist, this is the first time I remember seeing so many pervasive, glaring divides in relationships. Yup, politics has exacerbated our disagreements. The holes in families, friendships, work relationships and society remind me of Swiss cheese. These unmistakable gaps are created by our differences or unresolved
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/25/145423/) - Why Don’t People Return Their Shopping Carts? A (Somewhat) Scientific Investigation
- [Valley of the Moon Garden Club: November Plants of the Month](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/25/valley-of-the-moon-garden-club-november-plants-of-the-month/) - Let your November garden be a place of joy, quiet strength, and seasonal renewal. Happy botanizing. NOVEMBER PLANTS OF THE MONTH Honoring Resilience, Celebrating Abundance, & Planting for the Season Ahead — Sedra Nathan, Hannah Aclufi, and Vincent Distrola If you’re born in November, your traditional birth flowers are chrysanthemum and peony. The chrysanthemum, native
- [Objects to Fascist Tendencies](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/25/objects-to-fascist-tendencies/) - Thank you, Will Shonbrun, for calling out these brutal thugs and their ring-leaders for all these illegal assaults on American citizens. It totally reeks of the fascist government in Germany of the 1930’s. For me, the stench is undeniable. I truly hope that others will also begin speak up and call for an end to
- [Nobody’s Girl: Surviving Abuse, Fighting for Justice](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/22/nobodys-girl/) - By David Bolling As the cascading drama of the Jeffrey Epstein files played out across headlines and breathless broadcasts, a sold-out audience of the Sonoma Speaker Series got a first-hand look inside the story of the first Epstein victim to go public. Veteran journalist and Santa Rosa resident, Amy Wallace is the ghostwriter for “Nobody’s
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/24/145419/) - Are the Rich Really More Selfish and Mean Than Everyone Else?
- [Larry Barnett: Thing Power](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/24/larry-barnett-thing-power/) - Why there is something instead of nothing continues to be a subject of debate. Although visible matter, the matter we can see and detect with our instruments comprises only 5% of the observable universe, it occupies nearly all of our attention. It appears that most of the universe is comprised of dark energy and dark
- [Will Shonbrun: This Must Stop! ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/24/will-shonbrun-this-must-stop/) - Gangs of armed, masked men, in all hours of the night or early morning, loudly knocking on the doors of houses or apartments, demanding entrance and brutally throwing people down – men, women and children no matter how young – and yelling at them to obey while they drag them into the streets and into
- [Kathleen Hill's Thanksgiving Dining Guide](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/20/kathleen-hills-thanksgiving-dining-guide/) - Nobody Should Go Hungry Thanksgiving in the United States is certainly different this year. Many Sonoma Valley restaurants are offering special dinners for dining in or to take out, and others are just staying closed to be with families and friends and avoid paying holiday overtime. At the same time, some of our neighbors have
- [Bob Edwards: An American Icon](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/23/bob-edwards-an-american-icon/) - Icon: A person or thing widely admired for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere, a symbol representing an idea or object, a sacred image in Eastern Christian churches, or a stylized picture on a computer screen that represents a function. ~ Merriam Webster Dictionary Readers may recall that, back in September, our
- [School District Seeks to Fill 7-11 Committee Seats](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/23/school-district-seeks-to-fill-7-11-committee-seats/) - 7-11 Committees Review and Analyze All District-Owned Property to Determine its Fate The Sonoma Valley Unified School District has established a 7-11 Committee to thoroughly review and analyze all district-owned property. This committee's primary goal is to identify any real estate that may be considered "excess" or "surplus"—meaning it's no longer needed for school purposes.
- [Update on the Superintendent Search from School Board President](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/22/update-on-the-superintendent-search-from-school-board-president/) - Dear Members of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Community, On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to provide an update on the next phase of our search for a future superintendent. The Board met on Tuesday afternoon to review the extensive input gathered from all stakeholder groups. We then convened in
- [Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn Has Become Unionized](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/21/fairmont-sonoma-mission-inn-has-become-unionized/) - Management and Employees Alike Praise the Agreement By Anna Pier In the spring of 2025, with no bugles or fanfare, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn became unionized. The contract between management and Unite Here Local 2 was signed March 19, 2025, concluding a two-year campaign by labor. Both management and employees express great appreciation for
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/22/145400/) - Neanderthals were cannibals. Copious evidence from the fossil record, spread across time and geography, shows that Neanderthals ate each other.
- [Under the Sun: Alejandra Santoyo, therapist, immigrant and activist ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/22/under-the-sun-alejandra-santoyo-therapist-immigrant-and-activist/) - 35-year-old Ale (pron."Á-lay") Santoyo has worked at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn most of her adult life. She talks with Anna Pier about her journey of self-discovery through her work, the joy of working at a unionized hotel, and her Mexican heritage. You've worked for a long time at The Fairmont. Fifteen years in May.
- [Seth Dolinsky: Community Gardens, Community Farms?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/22/seth-dolinsky-community-gardens-community-farms/) - First of Two Parts The challenges facing food production here in the Sonoma Valley have been well documented, including high cost of land and housing, labor recruitment, and competition for farm products from large outside farms and retailers. With land at a premium, alternative public and private options create opportunity. School gardens have been successful
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/21/145395/) - The pursuit of longevity...What if you could have five more years, or 10?
- [Sonoma County Joins Statewide Coalition to Oppose Offshore Drilling and Deep-Sea Mining](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/21/sonoma-county-joins-statewide-coalition-to-oppose-offshore-drilling-and-deep-sea-mining/) - When federal agencies began moving quickly this year to expand offshore oil and gas drilling and advance permits for deep-sea mining, counties up and down the California coast faced a common challenge with limited opportunities for public input. On Nov. 4, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to take a proactive stand. The Board
- [School Board Has Packed Agenda](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/19/school-board-has-packed-agenda/) - Trustees Hear Charter School Proposal and Address the Superintendent Search By Anna Pier A full five-member Board of Trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District met in regular session on November 13, after an almost two hour Closed Session with no reportable action. The open meeting began with the Valley of the Moon Teachers’
- [New City of Sonoma Minimum Wage Rates Effective January 1, 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/20/new-sonoma-minimum-wage-rates-effective-january-1-2026/) - Starting January 1, 2026, the minimum wage rate in the City of Sonoma is $18.47/hour for large employers (26 or more employees) and $17.38/hour for small employers (25 or fewer employees). The scheduled increase is included in the minimum wage ordinance adopted by the City Council in 2019 after a minimum wage study, which became Chapter 2.80 of the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/20/145387/) - Neanderthals and early humans ‘likely to have kissed’, say scientists. Study from University of Oxford looks into evolutionary origins of kissing and its role in relations between species
- [Sonoma Valley Hospital Reports Positive Results](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/20/sonoma-valley-hospital-reports-positive-results/) - In a communication to the Sonoma Valley Community, Sonoma Valley Hospital Board Chair Wendy Lee Myatt summarized the current condition of the hospital's finances, staffing, capital projects, and other relevant information. The report was very positive overall, which is good news for our community and its health resources. Dear Sonoma Valley Community, This month, we
- [Supports Animal Activist](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/19/supports-animal-activist/) - Legality does not equal morality. Just because something is lawfully correct, that doesn’t make it morally sound. Slavery was once legal, and rescuing those slaves was illegal, and people were persecuted for running the underground railroad. And yet today, we look back on the acts of those brave souls with admiration. The victims are different
- [Holiday Serenades on the Plaza](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/19/holiday-serenades-on-the-plaza/) - Bringing Festive Music and Cheer to Sonoma Free, family-friendly concerts December 14 and 21 at the Grinstead Amphitheater Celebrate the season with Holiday Serenades on the Plaza, a joyful pair of free community concerts presented by Music in Place in partnership with the City of Sonoma and the Sonoma Tourism Improvement District. The performances will
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/19/145377/) - Drifting into unhealthy behaviors again? Discover how routine fosters resilience, fights anxiety, blunts addictive tendencies, increases self-efficacy, and restores mental clarity.
- [Editorial: Giving Thanks…For What and To Whom? ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/19/giving-thanksfor-what-and-to-whom/) - Gratitude is a multi-faceted feeling. It can be intensely personal. It can be on behalf of others. It can be about things, and it can be about people. And it can even be about the state of a nation. Historically, America’s Thanksgiving Day has been associated with the “Pilgrim” story, a sentimental tale of the
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/18/145369/) - We might finally be able to spot osteoarthritis early… and bring it to a halt
- [Thanks for School Gardens  ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/18/thanks-for-school-gardens/) - By Kathleen Hill This past Monday, Facebook brought up a memory for me with a lovely photo of the now late and dear chef John McReynolds and his assistant demonstrating cooking vegetables to Altimira Middle School science students. Many of those students squirmed at first, not really interested in what was going on. Their interest
- [Trump cuts funding for permanent housing. Advocates say this will lead to more homelessness](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/18/trump-cuts-funding-for-permanent-housing-advocates-say-this-will-lead-to-more-homelessness/) - By Marisa Kendall This article was originally published by CalMatters For weeks, California’s homeless service providers have worried about rumors that the federal government was going to cut funds for permanent housing. Now, those cuts are here. Shortly after the federal government reopened, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a policy change
- [SCOUTS Scout for Food Very Successfully](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/17/scouts-scout-for-food-very-successfully/) - Scouting for Food was an outstanding community effort by local SCOUTS By Sandy Piotter, FISH Scouting for Food, an annual drive, was an extraordinarily successful community effort this year by SCOUTING AMERICA (formerly known as BSA, Boy Scouts of America). Thanks to the hard work of around 40 co-ed SCOUTS and their parents on November
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/17/145363/) - 3 common alcohol myths, debunked: Alcohol doesn't warm you up, actually, and coffee can't make you sober
- [Larry Barnett: Scenes from A Marriage Act Two - Alchemy](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/17/larry-barnett-scenes-from-a-marriage-act-two-alchemy/) - Some elements are compatible, others incompatible. If in prolonged close contact with each other, when compatible there is stability; when incompatible, an electro-chemical, alchemical process caused by electron transfer between the two elements alters their structure and produces transformation. So too it is in marriage. The Alchemy of Marriage can be seen in terms of
- [City of Sonoma to Adopt New California Building Code Standards](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/15/city-of-sonoma-to-adopt-new-california-building-code-standards/) - At its meeting of November 19, the Sonoma City Council will discuss and potentially take action to approve codification of the state's new Building Code Standards. The California Building Standards Commission adopts a new edition of the California Building Standards Code (Title 24, California Code of Regulations) every three years. Each jurisdiction in California must
- [Jack London Yacht Club Awards Sonoma Valley’s Nonprofits](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/17/jack-london-yacht-club-awards-sonoma-valleys-nonprofits/) - On November 9, 2025 the Jack London Yacht Club held its funding awards event at Wellington Winery in Glen Ellen, gifting thousands of dollars to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations serving the community of Sonoma Valley. The Sonoma Valley Sun Newspaper was among the recipients, the second year it has received funding from the
- [PG&E Warning Customers About Increasing Billing Scams](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/16/pge-warning-customers-about-increasing-billing-scams/) - PG&E has alerted its customers that scams targeting utility customers continue to increase at an alarming rate. Scammers can be convincing and often target those who are most vulnerable. They also aim their scams at small business owners during busy customer service hours. However, with the right information, you can learn to detect and report
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/16/145354/) - An MIT neuroscientist proposes that brain waves perform analog computations that give rise to thought and consciousness
- [Celebrate Sonoma! Phil Coturri Day is November 19, 2025](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/16/celebrate-sonoma-phil-coturri-day-is-november-19-2025/) - The City of Sonoma is proud to announce that Phil Coturri will be honored as the next recipient of the Celebrate Sonoma recognition during the City Council meeting on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 6:00 PM. As part of this program, the City will officially proclaim November 19, 2025, as “Phil Coturri Day” in Sonoma. This fall marks several milestones in Phil’s
- [Free GMRS Radio Training Workshops– December 3 & 6](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/16/free-gmrs-radio-training-workshops-december-3-6/) - Stay connected when it matters the most! Thank to a UASI grant and the collaborative efforts of Sonoma County Emergency Management, Fire Safe Sonoma, the Springs Municipal Advisory Council, Supervisor Hermosillo’s Office, Springs MYN, and other partners, free GMRS radio workshops will be offered in the Springs on December 3 and December 6. Participants will receive a
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/15/145349/) - Food insecurity does more than limit access. It can alter hunger, safety, and trust in the body in ways that can increase eating disorder risk
- [Caroline Casey Composts the “Cult” Out of Culture ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/15/caroline-casey-composts-the-cult-out-of-culture/) - By Larry Barnett In a tour d'force ninety-minute presentation hosted by Sonoma’s Praxis Peace Institute, radio personality Caroline Casey kept a packed audience in Andrew’s Hall at the Community Center enthralled with her observations and recommendations of how to cope with culture’s “dementors” and times of evil. Using the focused lenses of astrology, history, mythology,
- [State Education Dashboard for 2025 Released](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/13/state-education-dashboard-for-2025-released/) - The State of California has released its Education Dashboard for 2025, a standard method of ranking school districts and student performance. Th Sonoma Valley Unified School District's Dashboard reveals some progress and some decline in academic performance. Specifically: Science at a performance level below standard represents a decline of 2.1 points. English at a performance
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/14/145343/) - Swallowing a pill can sometimes cause harm. Pill-induced oesophagitis occurs when a tablet or capsule gets stuck in the narrowing at the lower end of the oesophagus, where it meets the stomach
- [Unsettled, Cooler Weather On Tap for the Next Week](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/14/unsettled-cooler-weather-on-tap-for-the-next-week/) - Cooler, wetter weather remains on tap as multiple systems pass through the region this weekend into next week. A cooling trend begins this weekend with chilly mornings in the 40s returning and high temperatures dropping into the mid 50s to low 60s by early next week.
- [Sonoma's West Spain Street Rehabilitation Project Underway - Expect Delays](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/11/sonomas-west-spain-street-rehabilitation-project-underway-expect-delays/) - he West Spain Street Rehabilitation Project is now underway. The project, managed by the City of Sonoma and constructed by Team Ghilotti, Inc., includes pavement grinding, repair of localized pavement failures, new striping and signage, and utility structure adjustments. Work is taking place along West Spain Street between 1st Street West and 3rd Street West, and from Junipero Serra
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/12/145334/) - Chaos happens when your mess exceeds your ability to live inside it. If something is making functioning hard, it’s a real barrier
- [Teri Shore: The Season of the Crow](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/12/teri-shore-the-season-of-the-crow/) - The crows are back. They arrived on time as usual, just when the black walnuts started dropping from the tree growing in front of the yellow bungalow across the street. First I hear them, croaking and clucking from atop a metal light post, wooden telephone pole or one of the purple plum trees out front.
- [Cartoon by Hilary: "No Karen, I don't think adding ABBA makes this more fun"](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/12/cartoon-by-hilary-no-karen-i-dont-think-adding-abba-makes-this-more-fun/) - Hilary Campbell is a New Yorker magazine cartoonist and author who just happens to have been raised right here in Sonoma.
- [Katy Byrne: Reaching Out or Retreating In Winter?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/12/katy-byrne-reaching-out-or-retreating-in-winter/) - Winter inclines us toward withdrawal. Though we need each other more than ever, the desire to hide lures us. Life’s strange and wobbly, which fits with the dark time of year descending on us. Still, community also sustains us. In his new book, “In the Absence of the Ordinary,” Francis Weller writes about this unsure
- [Free Sand Now Available to Residents at Depot Park - BYO Sandbags!](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/11/free-sand-now-available-to-residents-at-depot-park-byo-sandbags/) - With another round of rain forecast to arrive this week, the City of Sonoma encourages you to take time to prepare for the rainy season ahead. Sand to fill sandbags is currently available to residents at Depot Park. If your property has a history of flooding, please don’t wait for a storm to prepare sandbags.
- [Thoughts About "Savvy"](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/11/thoughts-about-savvy/) - Is ”savvy” a get out of jail free card. It sure seems so. The Obama administration didn’t prosecute any “savvy” Wall Street fraudsters*. Now Trump is pardoning his “savvy” co-conspirators**. Will “savvy” Ken get a pass too? Googled AI hints that he just might: “Ken Mattson, the Sonoma real estate adviser facing a federal criminal
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/11/145322/) - What exactly is “life”? Astrobiologists still have more questions than answers
- [John Staley: A Decade Without Decadence](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/11/john-staley-a-decade-without-decadence/) - By John Staley Sobriety is a pain in the ass – inconvenient in other words. When I decided to quit drinking ten years ago, I just wanted a break from the hangovers. I told myself I just needed a week to clear my head and get things back to normal. Three beers in the morning
- [Sonoma’s Oldest Fraternal Organization Celebrates 175 Years of Brotherhood and History](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/11/sonomas-oldest-fraternal-organization-celebrates-175-years-of-brotherhood-and-history/) - Temple Lodge No. 14 of Free and Accepted Masons — the oldest fraternal organization in the City of Sonoma — will celebrate its 175th anniversary on Saturday, November 15, 2025, marking a proud legacy that reaches back to California’s earliest days and the very founding of the town of Sonoma itself. Granted dispensation on November
- [Midweek Rain Headed for Sonoma Valley](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/10/midweek-rain-headed-for-sonoma-valley/) - Another round of wet weather is coming our way, and this time we may see well over an inch of rain. NOAA reports that a quick-hitting atmospheric river will bring moderate rain, strong south winds, and a slight chance of thunderstorms late Wednesday through Thursday. Still time for the details to be refined, but minor
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/10/145311/) - Genetically Engineered Babies Are Banned. Tech Titans Are Trying to Make One Anyway.
- [Larry Barnett: Growing Thinner](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/10/larry-barnett-growing-thinner/) - It’s a bit oxymoronic, “growing thinner.” We think of growth when something gets bigger, not smaller, but that’s what’s happening to me. I’m growing thinner. At 77 years old, I now weigh what I did as a Junior in High School, and then I considered myself plump, if not downright fat. I was a chunky
- [Walt Williams: We Are The Change We Need To See](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/10/walt-williams-we-are-the-change-we-need-to-see/) - America is in a state of cognitive dissonance. Not familiar with the term? It’s a state of inconsistent attitudes related to behavioral decisions. Still not making sense? How about when you are living one way but thinking you are living another. In my classroom I'm at the end of a thematic unit called, “Does government
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/09/145302/) - Gas Stoves Are Slowly Poisoning Homes and Cost Families in Hidden Health Effects
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: How Do You Define Savvy?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/09/josette-brose-eichar-how-do-you-define-savvy/) - Savvy sav’e, adjective. Well informed and perceptive; shrewd. Knowledgeable or proficient. I read a letter to the editor in the newspaper the other day. The writer regretted voting for Donald Trump. Yet she defended voting for him by stating that she thought he was a savvy businessman and therefore would know how to run the
- [School District Presents Two Schools to the Community](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/09/school-district-presents-two-schools-to-the-community/) - By Anna Pier In the wake of Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees’ final decision on October 9 to close Prestwood Elementary School in June 2026, the District has been working on the transition plan for school consolidation, also approved by Trustees at that meeting. Acting SV School District Superintendent Rena Seifts has
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/08/145293/) - The outlook was anything but certain when California Democrats jumped into the precarious and costly redistricting Proposition 50 arms race
- [David Bolling: My Journey Together With Trump](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/08/david-bolling-my-journey-together-with-trump/) - Fighting Communism and the First Amendment I have a painful confession. Donald Trump and I are buddies. He tells me so repeatedly. In fact he says he loves me. Really LOVES me. (I should explain that in some of my communications with Donald I have used the name of my alter ego, Dimbald Bolwing.) Here’s
- [Bob Edwards: New Year’s Resolutions](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/08/bob-edwards-new-years-resolutions/) - Become a Brain Surgeon or Drink Less Wine? It’s not too early to point out that this year will be over any minute now, and it’s time to start putting together that list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2026. What?? Now? Yes, because the final weeks of 2025 are crammed with Thanksgiving dinner preparation and
- [Scott Orr Named Director of Permit Sonoma](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/08/scott-orr-named-director-of-permit-sonoma/) - Scott Orr, who has worked through the ranks of Sonoma County’s permit and planning department, has been named the director of Permit Sonoma. Orr began his nearly 10-year career with Permit Sonoma as an entry level planner processing permits. He worked up through the Planning Division to become Deputy Director in 2020. With the retirement
- [Community Voice: The County Has Dressed Up 8th St. East $2.7 Million Pig with “Green” Lipstick](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/30/community-voice-the-county-has-dressed-up-8th-st-east-2-7-million-pig-with-green-lipstick/) - By Philip Sales I want to thank the Sun’s editorial staff for highlighting the issues related to the County’s proposed acquisition of Union Pacific Railroad’s “remaining property interests in the 8th St., East corridor”. Some of your readers have commented that it is unfair to criticize this purchase because it is about improving bike infrastructure
- [Dinos and Legos In Santa Rosa This Weekend](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/07/dinos-and-legos-in-santa-rosa-this-weekend/) - Jurassic Quest and Brick Fest Live Come To County Fairgrounds Two events, one billed as “North America’s most popular interactive dinosaur experience,” Jurassic Quest, and the other as “the top family LEGO-inspired event,” Brick Fest Live, will “assemble” together under one roof for the first time to offer a “dino-mite” weekend of interactive, educational fun
- [Affordable Housing: What Is the Solution?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/07/affordable-housing-what-is-the-solution/) - And the solution is? We all know the problem…what is the solution? And if we think production of affordable housing was hard before, just imagine how much harder it is now with the cost of materials skyrocketing with tariffs. We all know the problem; that’s not news. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?? As someone who has
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/07/145276/) - Rainy and cold weather may be linked with joint pain, impacting those with arthritis or other musculoskeletal conditions
- [New Charter School Proposed for Prestwood Elementary Site](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/04/new-charter-school-proposed-for-prestwood-elementary-site/) - By Anna Pier MacArthur Park Charter School (MPCS) Board submitted its Charter Petition and Proposition 39 facilities request to the Sonoma Valley Unified School District on October 31, 2025. The proposed public, tuition-free charter school, envisioned by a charter board composed of current Prestwood parents, would open as a TK–5 program and grow to serve
- [Worried About WUI?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/07/worried-about-wui/) - How the Wildland Urban Interface Code (WUI) Is Changing Housing By Larry Barnett The State of California is justifiably worried about wildfires and the property damage they cause. After the massive destruction in Southern California, legislation was passed to regulate the type of landscaping that can be used in new housing developments, extensively remodeled existing
- [Sonoma’s Native Oak Trees in Danger Due to Mediterranean Oak Borer](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/07/sonomas-native-oak-trees-in-danger-due-to-mediterranean-oak-borer/) - Sonoma’s native oak trees, a defining feature of our landscape and cultural heritage, are in critical danger due to the rapid spread of the Mediterranean oak borer. The Mediterranean oak borer (Xyleborus monographus, MOB) is a very small invasive beetle which originated in Europe and North Africa, in regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In their
- [Fixing Food Insecurity](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/05/fixing-food-insecurity/) - How, Where, When to Find Free Food By David Bolling The threat to SNAP funding currently crowding the headlines brings even more attention to an issue receiving increased local focus ever since the COVID pandemic – food insecurity, the twenty-first Century term for what used to be called hunger. Food insecurity is commonly defined as
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/06/145268/) - Bridging America’s political divide starts with purpose-driven communities that connect through shared passions to foster understanding, dialogue, and empathy
- [Editorial: The Dead End in the Affordable Housing Affordability Roadmap](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/06/editorial-the-dead-end-in-the-affordable-housing-affordability-roadmap/) - The Sonoma Collaborative’s Housing Affordability Roadmap is a welcome addition to the discussion about affordable housing and the challenge to dramatically increase it. The Collaborative is a project of the Sonoma Ecology Center, focused on the preservation and creation of additional Affordable Housing in Sonoma Valley and brings together a diversity of organizations and entities
- [Peak Fall Color at Sonoma Botanical Garden](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/06/peak-fall-color-at-sonoma-botanical-garden/) - The Sonoma Valley’s unique show of fall color has begun at Sonoma Botanical Garden’s (SBG) one-of-a-kind Asian Woodland, full of rare and endangered deciduous trees and perennials. The stars of fall are the Garden’s many species of Asian maples that dapple the tree canopy with bursts of warm red, orange, yellow and even purple hues.
- [Termites Swarm After Rains...It's Normal](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/06/termites-swarm-after-rains-its-normal/) - After autumn rains, the western subterranean termites take flight! Sonoma Ecology Center Executive Director Richard Dale, spotted this swarm during a hike along Rattlesnake Cutoff—the connector between Montini Open Space Preserve and the Sonoma Overlook Trail. Flying termites, or "swarmers," emerge after rain because the moisture creates an ideal environment for them to mate and establish
- [Piles of Wood Debris to Be Burned on November 7 on Montini Preserve](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/05/piles-of-wood-debris-to-be-burned-on-november-7-on-montini-preserve/) - This Friday, November 7, Sonoma Ecology Center will conduct controlled pile burns at Montini Open Space Preserve as part of wildfire risk reduction efforts funded by the California State Coastal Conservancy. While the park remains open, some trails may be impacted so please observe all closure signs. If you see smoke coming from north of
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/05/145255/) - Consumer product companies have walked back their plastics sustainability goals, and many recyclers are closing their doors
- [Proposition 50 Overwhelmingly Supported by California Voters](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/05/proposition-50-overwhelmingly-supported-by-california-voters/) - The voters of California delivered a decisive victory for democrats in yesterday's election. Proposition 50, which redistricts the state, was approved by 63.8 percent of the vote, vs. 36.2 percent opposed. In Sonoma County, the results were even more lopsided, with 74.2 percent voting for its approval. The net effect of the passage of the
- [California Braces for ‘Devastating’ Expected Cuts to Federal Homeless Housing Funds](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/02/california-braces-for-devastating-expected-cuts-to-federal-homeless-housing-funds-2/) - by Marisa Kendall This article was originally published by CalMatters The latest blow in a seemingly endless barrage of bad news for the California agencies tasked with fighting homelessness looms: President Donald Trump’s administration is expected to deeply cut federal funding for permanent housing. The news has sent counties throughout California into a panic. The state
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/04/145240/) - California’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) laws opened a fast lane for homeowners to add small, independent homes to existing lots. Here's some practical strategies for balancing state ADU goals with neighborhood capacity
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/03/145236/) - Scientific progress depends on disagreement. So why are vaccine sceptics and other science critics not worth listening to?
- [Larry Barnett: What If I’m the One Who’s Dead?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/03/what-if-im-the-one-whos-dead/) - Here’s an odd contemplation: it was not my wife of fifty years who died last May, it was me. Perhaps a ghost of my consciousness has continued to spin out an experience of my reality, my Samsara, even though my body is now long gone. Is it possible to prove that’s not true? From “cat
- [A Wet and Blustery Storm Is Headed Our Way](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/03/a-wet-and-blustery-storm-is-headed-our-way/) - The current forecast for the coming week includes a significant storm packing nearly an inch of rain, and gusty winds. Now is a good time to check your gutters, and remove any objects that can be damaged by wind or rain from outside. The storm is expected to impact our area late Tuesday night and
- [California Highway Patrol Seeks Senior Volunteers](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/03/california-highway-patrol-seeks-senior-volunteers/) - Seniors 55 years or older and looking for a meaningful way to give back to their community may find that the CHP Senior Volunteer Program offers an opportunity to make a difference by assisting local CHP offices in providing vital public services. Applicants must meet requirements to Apply: Be at least 55 years old Commit
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/02/145228/) - People Who Hug Daily Are Less Depressed. Is hugging frequently linked to better mental health? A new study from Germany provides an answer
- [Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Approve Cannabis Consumption Lounges](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/02/sonoma-county-board-of-supervisors-approve-cannabis-consumption-lounges/) - The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday advanced the Cannabis Program update, taking a straw vote to approve parts of the updated program following a public hearing. The Cannabis Program update refines the County’s cannabis permitting framework and environmental policies, aligning land use and regulatory standards. The Board’s action marks a significant step toward
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/01/145224/) - Some doctors say the chemicals all around us may be increasing our risk of Parkinson’s disease, the world’s fastest-growing brain disorder
- [Climate Smart Sonoma – Building Resilience, Locally and Beyond](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/01/climate-smart-sonoma-building-resilience-locally-and-beyond/) - Earlier this fall, the City of Sonoma Mayor Patricia Farrar-Rivas participated in Climate Week NYC through the Climate Mayors network, a coalition of more than 750 U.S. mayors advancing local solutions to global climate challenges. This year’s theme, #ImpactMultiplied, underscored how city-led projects—when shared and scaled—can accelerate progress toward a more sustainable and resilient future. Sonoma’s participation reflects an important
- [City Council to Hold Study Session on Mobilehome Park Closure and Conversion Ordinance](https://sonomasun.com/2025/11/01/city-council-to-hold-study-session-on-mobilehome-park-closure-and-conversion-ordinance/) - The Sonoma City Council will hold a study session on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at their regular meeting to review the City’s existing rules for mobile home park closures and conversions and discuss recent changes in state law affecting these processes. The discussion will focus on Sonoma Municipal Code Chapter 9.82, which outlines the procedures and requirements when a
- [DxE Activist Zoe Rosenberg Convicted by Jury of Felony Conspiracy in Chicken Theft "Rescue"](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/30/dxe-activist-zoe-rosenberg-convicted-by-jury-of-felony-conspiracy-in-chicken-theft-rescue/) - Zoe Rosenberg, 23-years-old of Berkeley, was convicted earlier today by a Sonoma County jury following an approximately 7-week-long trial of a felony charge of Conspiracy, and 2 misdemeanor counts of trespass which occurred on 5/21/23 and 6/13/23, and 1 count of tampering with a vehicle for her actions on 6/13/23. District Attorney Carla Rodriguez stated,
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/31/145216/) - Scientists have invented a new type of device that uses water and silicon covered with tiny pores to convert friction into usable electricity
- [One-way Traffic Control begins on State Route 121 in Sonoma County to Replace Bridge Railings on the Yellow Creek Bridge](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/31/one-way-traffic-control-begins-on-state-route-121-in-sonoma-county-to-replace-bridge-railings-on-the-yellow-creek-bridge/) - Four-month closure Monday, November 3, 2025 - Saturday, February 28, 2026 Caltrans will implement one-way traffic control on State Route 121 in the Schellville community of Sonoma County to replace bridge railings on the Yellow Creek Bridge, located several hundred feet south of the newly opened Route 116/121 Roundabout at Big Bend. The closure begins
- [KSVY Sonoma 91.3 FM Expands Digital Access with New Show Archive Features](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/31/ksvy-sonoma-91-3-fm-expands-digital-access-with-new-show-archive-features/) - KSVY Sonoma 91.3 FM, Sonoma Valley’s independent community radio station, has launched new digital features designed to make local programming more accessible than ever, including expanded show archives and real-time playlists on every show page. Listeners can now visit ksvy.org, explore the SHOWS tab, and stream the last two weeks of every program directly from
- [15 DUIs, Still Driving: California’s Failure to Take Repeat Drunk Drivers Off the Road](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/31/15-duis-still-driving-californias-failure-to-take-repeat-drunk-drivers-off-the-road/) - As alcohol-related roadway deaths spike across the state, a CalMatters investigation finds California has some of the weakest DUI laws in the country. by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler Published originally by CalMatters. The state of California gave Sylvester Conway every opportunity to kill. He already had two DUI convictions by 2019, when the California Highway Patrol arrested
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/30/145205/) - One in seven people experience migraine’s disabling reach. Millions more endure other headache disorders
- [Sonoma County Monitoring Potential Immigration Action, Preparing to Support Impacted Communities](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/28/sonoma-county-monitoring-potential-immigration-action-preparing-to-support-impacted-communities/) - The County of Sonoma is monitoring reports of possible federal immigration enforcement activity in the Bay Area and is working with partner organizations to provide accurate information and access to support services. The County is working proactively with the Sheriff’s Office, and has activated the Department of Emergency Management and the County’s Safety Net departments
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/29/145199/) - Law enforcement is more likely to overuse force if an individual has a disability, and the results can be tragic. New ideas aim to improve the status quo
- [Prescribed Burn Operations Planned at Sonoma Valley Regional Park](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/29/prescribed-burn-operations-planned-at-sonoma-valley-regional-park/) - Sonoma County Regional Parks in partnership with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, is planning a series of prescribed burns at Sonoma Valley Regional Park throughout the fall and winter. The first burn occurred on October 22. Fire crews will begin ignitions as early as 8 a.m. and continuing
- [Sonoma County Prepares for California Building Code Updates](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/29/sonoma-county-prepares-for-california-building-code-updates/) - Permit Sonoma’s Building Division is preparing for the upcoming changes to the California Building Standards Code, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The 2025 code cycle introduces new statewide requirements that focus on wildfire resilience, clean energy and sustainable construction practices. Permit Sonoma will host a series of Ask the Building Expert drop-in office
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/28/145195/) - From fasting to low-protein diets, the evolving science of dietary restriction might just offer the key to slowing ageing
- [Current Status of Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino Reservoirs](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/28/current-status-of-lake-sonoma-and-lake-mendocino-reservoirs/) - About Warm Springs Dam and Lake Sonoma There are two major reservoir projects that provide water supply for the Russian River watershed: Lake Mendocino on the East Fork of the Russian River and Lake Sonoma on Dry Creek. Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma are dual-purpose reservoirs in that they provide flood protection (managed by the
- [Under the SUN: Catarina Landry, heritage Sonoman and School Board President ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/09/19/under-the-sun-catarina-landry-heritage-sonoman-and-school-board-president/) - Sonoma Valley Unified School Board President Catarina Landry leads a Board which must address a fiscal crisis; decide on a third potential school closure (following Dunbar Elementary in 2023 and Adele Harrison Middle School in June); and hire a new Superintendent. Anna Pier talks with the Sonoma native about her role, her story, and her
- [Applauds Shonbrun's Point of View](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/27/applauds-shonbruns-point-of-view/) - Regarding your article: The Times We’re Living In- you have eloquently and passionately captured the angst, concern, and uncertainty that I and so many of us are feeling. I applaud how you married the climate crisis with the precarious state of our democratic republic. The deteriorating environment is not simply turning of its own accord
- [Larry Barnett: Tales of Ordinary Madness](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/27/larry-barnett-tales-of-ordinary-madness/) - If the world feels crazy to you, you’re right. It is. A form of collective madness has taken hold. It’s worrisome, confusing, for some fatal, and, sadly, it’s mostly the way it’s always been. We live in the imaginary world of The-Mind-of-Separation, and it drives us mad. Most of our madness is ordinary: loneliness, anger,
- [Sonoma Sun Cartoonist Hilary Campbell's Book Signing Draws a Crowd](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/27/sonoma-sun-cartoonist-hilary-campbells-book-signing-draws-a-crowd/) - Friends, family and fans showed up at Roche Winery Tasting Room on East Spain Street on this past Sunday to have books signed by Hilary Campbell, whose cartoons appear in each edition of the Sonoma Valley Sun newspaper as well as the New Yorker magazine. As noted on the back cover of her new graphic
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/27/145186/) - Powered by mushrooms, living computers are on the rise
- [Early in-person voting opened this weekend for Nov. 4 Statewide Special Election](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/27/early-in-person-voting-opened-this-weekend-for-nov-4-statewide-special-election/) - Early in-person voting for the Nov. 4 Statewide Special Election began this weekend in Sonoma County. Seven Vote Centers will be open for 11 consecutive days from Saturday, Oct. 25, until Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 4. Hours of operation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Election Day when hours will be
- [Under the Sun Interview: Vicki Handron, Attorney for the Immigrant Community](https://sonomasun.com/2025/07/06/under-the-sun-interview-vicki-handron-attorney-for-the-immigrant-community/) - Inspired by the Citizenship Celebration put on by the nonprofit Sonoma Immigrant Services (SIS) on June 21 to honor the 90 new Sonoma Valley citizens since July 2024 who worked with SIS, the Sun's Anna Pier talked with its remarkable and humble founder, Vicki Handron. SIS has assisted more than 1000 clients, including over 300
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/26/145177/) - Monstrification is an attempt to convey that an individual or group has broken the category of a ‘normal’ human being, via their bodies, minds or culture
- [Adobe Drugs in Sonoma Offers New "Sharps" Disposal Service](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/26/adobe-drugs-offers-sharps-disposal-service/) - Self-injection with medications has become common, as drugs like Ozempic and insulin are used by the public. Such injections require changing needles before each use, and discarding used needles is in the medical "bio-hazard" category and needs to be done properly. Now Adobe Drugs is making such disposal easier by providing a convenient disposal site
- [Equator Coffees to Open in Sonoma Marketplace on October 31](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/26/equator-coffees-to-open-in-sonoma-marketplace-on-october-31/) - A new coffee shop is about to open in the City of Sonoma, Equator Coffees. Opening on October 31, in the Sonoma Marketplace near Whole Foods Market, Equator sources coffee from over 20 countries. As explained on their website, "Equator Coffees has evolved from a humble roasting operation into a recognized leader in the coffee
- [Sonoma Valley Collaborative Releases Housing Affordability Roadmap](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/26/sonoma-valley-collaborative-releases-housing-affordability-roadmap/) - The Sonoma Valley Collaborative, a project of the Sonoma Ecology Center, has released its Housing Affordability Roadmap, its collection of ideas on ways to preserve existing affordable housing and to create more. As they describe it: "The Roadmap reflects the collective expertise and collaboration of many leaders and organizations dedicated to addressing housing affordability. Sonoma
- [Affordable CalRx® Insulin, $11 a Pen, Will Soon Be Available for Purchase in California](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/25/affordable-calrx-insulin-11-a-pen-will-soon-be-available-for-purchase-in-california/) - California Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that CalRx® biosimilar insulin glargine pens will be available to consumers in California beginning January 1, 2026. This launch marks a significant step in the state’s ongoing effort to lower prescription drug prices and improve medication access statewide. Through an agreement secured by Civica Rx — a nonprofit generic
- [Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/25/social-security-announces-2-8-percent-benefit-increase-for-2026/) - Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8 percent in 2026. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting in January. Over the last decade the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase has averaged about 3.1 percent. The COLA was 2.5 percent in
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/25/145168/) - A new McGill study reveals that specific online brain training can upregulate key brain chemistry, reversing age-related decline and offering fresh hope for dementia prevention
- [Sonoma Valley Hospital's Hand and Physical Therapy Clinic Expanded](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/24/sonoma-valley-hospitals-hand-and-physical-therapy-clinic-expanded/) - Lead Physical Therapist of SV Hospital's Hand and Physical Therapy Clinic, Marek Grzybowski, cut the ribbon with a giant pair of scissors to open the clinic's expanded wing. SVH Foundation Executive Director Leslie Antonelli Petersen welcomed the guests, therapists hospital staff and doctors to the Grand Opening on the afternoon of August 16. Located at
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/24/145158/) - Iceland Is No Longer Mosquito Free. Is Climate Change to Blame?
- [Are Medicare Covered Video Visits a Thing of the Past?](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/24/are-medicare-covered-video-visits-a-thing-of-the-past/) - Many senior citizens on Medicare saved time and travel expenses by booking video visits with their healthcare providers, but Medicare is not currently paying for such appointments anymore. Medicare did not permanently stop paying for video visits, but temporary waivers enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic expired on September 30, 2025, due to a federal government
- [Weekend Rain Headed Our Way, But It Should Be Light](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/23/weekend-rain-headed-our-way-but-it-should-be-light/) - Rain beginning Friday night and continuing intermittently through Monday should be light to moderate, in the range of one-half inch. The atmospheric river feeding the storm system is currently forecast to primarily affect the northwest coast. Nonetheless, it's a good time to clear your gutters and bring your garden furniture cushions inside.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/23/145147/) - Novel ideas tend to emerge when you persist beyond obvious options, take breaks to reset thinking, and work within meaningful constraints that focus the search for solutions
- [Music Venue in Napa - Blue Note - to Close at Year's End](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/23/music-venue-in-napa-blue-note-to-close-at-years-end/) - After a decade of providing space for varied musical performances in the Wine Country, Blue Note in the City of Napa has announced that it will cease operations at it current location at the end of 2025. They may move their concert venue to San Francisco. Meanwhile, they will continue to produce musical offerings at
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/22/145136/) - You can take in the content both from listening and reading, but reading has some advantages, according to a researcher
- [Supports Purchase of Railroad Right-of Way](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/22/supports-purchase-of-railroad-right-of-way/) - I agree with the Sun’s efforts to clarify property ownership of the 8th Street East railroad right-of-way in conjunction with constructing the Sonoma-Schellville Trail, but I do not understand the Sun's hostile opposition to developing a safe, Class I bicycle pathway within the old Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from Napa Street East to SR 121.
- [Help Shape Sonoma’s Hazard Mitigation Plan](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/22/help-shape-sonomas-hazard-mitigation-plan/) - The Sonoma County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) Draft is now available for public review and comment through November 10, 2025, on the County of Sonoma website. The MJHMP is a countywide effort involving 22 jurisdictions, including the City of Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley Fire District, both of which have annexes in the draft plan. The plan identifies local risks from natural
- [After CalMatters report, Newsom signs law forcing lawmakers to disclose their new jobs](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/20/after-calmatters-report-newsom-signs-law-forcing-lawmakers-to-disclose-their-new-jobs/) - by Ryan Sabalow This article was published by CalMatters California’s elected and appointed officials will now have to tell the public when they’ve accepted a job offer from a new employer that might seek favors from them while they’re still in a position of power. Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month signed Assembly Bill 1286 by Democratic Assemblymember Tasha
- [Napa County Greatly Increases Its Affordable Housing Impact Fees](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/22/napa-county-greatly-increases-its-affordable-housing-impact-fees/) - Napa County is significantly increasing its affordable housing impact fees on new residential and commercial construction, with the largest hikes targeting large homes and hotels. The fee for homes over 3,000 square feet will rise to $86 per square foot, up from $12.25, and fees for homes between 2,001-3,000 square feet are increasing to $43
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/21/145131/) - What would it mean if we were able to ‘speak’ with whales?
- [Will Shonbrun: The Times We’re Living In](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/21/will-shonbrun-the-times-were-living-in/) - What I’d like to know is how to live in this time and place in our country. What to do or not do? How to be? What’s of value or not? What needs to change? Like uninvited guests these are the questions I wake up to each and every day, as I imagine do many
- [Katy Byrne: No More Donuts?     ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/21/katy-byrne-no-more-donuts/) - It was a magical night on the Sonoma square at the last farmers market. Light rainy drizzle didn’t discourage anyone. The night sky was lit up with candles on tables as winter descended on us. The music and children played. Everyone seemed so grateful to have a final good bye to summer, even with wet
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/20/145126/) - Chatbots are virtual yes-men--agreeing to whatever we already believe. What will this do to mental health and society?
- [No Kings Protest Rally Draws a Crowd](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/18/no-kings-protest-rally-draws-a-crowd/) - The sidewalks of Broadway were filled with rally signs and costumes for the No Kings Protest. An estimated 2,500 people showed up to make their voices heard. Alyssa Conder provided some photos...More to come!
- [Larry Barnett: I Married a Swan](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/20/larry-barnett-i-married-a-swan/) - Do you identify with any particular animal? If you were not a human being, what animal would you like to be? I’m a Bear, a Little Bear to be precise. I sleep like a log, am assertive, like to be in charge, and get right down to business. I’m sensitive and affectionate, but not terribly
- [Loretta Carpio-Carr: Happy Autumn!](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/20/loretta-carpio-carr-happy-autumn/) - My neighborhood in Sonoma’s west side has a lot of foot traffic – students walking to and from school, patients going to their medical appointments, pet owners walking their dogs, shoppers carrying their grocery bags. I see them pass daily from my kitchen windows, and I can wave or say “Hi” to those I recognize.
- [Bob Edwards: The Best Season](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/20/bob-edwards-the-best-season/) - Tailtu and Mary Too As we go to press, the nation and our Valley are about to enter the best season of the year, Holiday Season, more dear to Americans than the bland spring/summer/fall/winter seasons invented by scientists. Credit for starting the Holiday Season goes to the ancient Celts who celebrated with feasting to mark
- [Jane Goodall: Her Legacy Lives in Every Wild Life ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/19/jane-goodall-her-legacy-lives-in-every-wild-life/) - By Dr. Nancy Lang Dr. Jane Goodall changed the world. Her life's work — redefining how we understand animals and inspiring generations to protect the natural world — has touched every corner of conservation. News of her passing at age 91 on October 1, while on a speaking tour in California, has left us deeply
- [Under the Sun: Seth Donnelly, Educator and Activist Co-Founder of Taxpayers Against Genocide in Gaza   ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/19/under-the-sun-seth-donnelly-educator-and-activist-co-founder-of-taxpayers-against-genocide-in-gaza/) - The story of Sonoma's Seth Donnelly is the story of the making of an activist. Anna Pier sat down with the high school teacher who has spent the last year at the helm of Taxpayers against Genocide in Gaza (TAG). Your background? I grew up in a household of activists. My parents, Sara and John
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/18/145098/) - Cooking With Gas Could Shorten Your Life by Two Years. Here’s What You Should Know
- [From Flatbed Farm To Table](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/18/from-flatbed-farm-to-table/) - And a Farmer Daughter Who Also Welds By David Bolling The idea was to profile the latest member of the local farm-to-table family, a tidy eight-acre spread called Flatbed Farm, sitting on Highway 12 hard up against the Sonoma Valley Regional Park and across the road from Bouverie Preserve. Parked in a very nice agricultural
- [Think your kid’s done with a booster seat? New California law says maybe not](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/18/think-your-kids-done-with-a-booster-seat-new-california-law-says-maybe-not/) - By Ryan Sabalow This article was originally published by CalMatters A new California law aims to keep more short children in booster seats for longer, imposing fines if they can’t properly wear their seat belt. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a watered-down version of Assembly Bill 435 that originally proposed to ban smaller teenagers from sitting in the
- [Will Shonbrun: A Pessimist's Dilemma ](https://sonomasun.com/2024/11/25/a-pessimists-dilemma/) - I used to think I was a born pessimist, but that's not really accurate. My schooling in becoming a pessimist came about when I was six or seven at a boarding school outside Tucson, Arizona where we young ones weren't treated so well. And thus began lesson Number 1: don't trust authority figures. The next
- [Will Shonbrun: Marilyn Goode - The Mistress of Good Trouble](https://sonomasun.com/2025/09/22/will-shonbrun-marilyn-goode-the-mistress-of-good-trouble/) - Once in a while in the course of a lifetime one meets a person different from the usual, who stands out from the pack and sticks in the mind. For me, such was Marilyn Goode. She was her own person, set her own courses, spoke her mind straight out and lived as she chose. From
- [Will Shonbrun: Different Strokes...](https://sonomasun.com/2025/03/26/will-shonbrun-different-strokes/) - By Will Shonbrun So, there I was, just going along, minding my own business when all of a sudden I was having a stroke, although I had no idea of that happening. I was simply having lunch at Hacienda and next thing I knew I was being wheeled out of the restaurant. Very weird feeling.
- [Will Shonbrun: A (Misplaced) Sense of Self ](https://sonomasun.com/2025/08/09/will-shonbrun-a-misplaced-sense-of-self/) - I will be turning 84 this August! I use the exclamation point because I can't believe that number. How can that be? In my mind I still live in my 50s or 30s or teens, or even far younger than that. It's unreal. How can a person be 84-effing-years-old, and still live in his mind
- [Rest In Peace, Sam Sebastiani](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/17/rest-in-peace-sam-sebastiani/) - I really appreciated Mr. Bollings description of Sam. I was a classmate of Sam at Santa Clara and was his Campaign Chairman for his Student Body President’s Campaign. He was a great person then as he continued to be, we stayed close for many years and I was his first commercial account while I was
- [Josette Brose-Eichar: Sheriff Mistaken in IOLERO Case Over Pelaez-Chavez Killing](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/17/josette-brose-eichar-sheriff-mistaken-in-iolero-case-over-pelaez-chavez-killing/) - If you read the recent letter from Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram on “Why He Won’t Compel Deputies to Interview with IOLERO,” it sounds plausible and reasonable. But, after speaking with John Alden (Pictured), director of the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO), I find incorrect and misleading statements in Sheriff Engram’s
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/17/145084/) - After a four-year effort, Korean scientists have announced a breakthrough lithium-metal EV battery that can extend vehicle range to 800 km
- [ 34th Time For the Glen Ellen Village Fair](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/17/34th-time-for-the-glen-ellen-village-fair/) - It is frequently described as the shortest parade in the Sonoma Valley, probably in all of Sonoma County, quite possibly in the Greater Bay Area, and maybe in the Known Universe. It starts with a three-person honor guard and finishes with the last of several fire trucks. In between are custom cars, howling wolves, beauty
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/16/145073/) - Scientists are finding microplastics in human brain tissue. Learn what that means for mental and neurological health, and what steps we can take to protect ourselves
- [Sonoma County Parks Responds to Questions About 8th Street East Bike Trail Plan](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/16/sonoma-county-parks-responds-to-questions-about-8th-street-east-bike-trail-plan/) - By Larry Barnett In our last issue (October 2, 2025) we posed some serious questions about the wisdom - even the legality - of Sonoma County’s plans to spend $2.7 million for railroad property ostensibly owned by Union Pacific for a Class One bike trail along Eighth Street East. In response to that story, Ken
- [David Bolling: The Important Life of Sam Sebastiani](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/16/david-bolling-the-important-life-of-sam-sebastiani/) - I was standing in the Cherry Block vineyard, once the pride and legacy of the Sebastiani family, reaching back 100 years into a family history every non-family resident knows by heart, as if they owned it. It was mid-August and Sam Sebastiani had just pulled a fat cabernet grape off a sagging cluster and was
- [Kathleen Hill: Missing Sam Sebastiani, girl & fig News, Lobster Sale, SCC Cooking Classes, Verano Café, Ladies at Lunch](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/16/kathleen-hill-missing-sam-sebastiani-girl-fig-news-lobster-sale-scc-cooking-classes-verano-cafe-ladies-at-lunch/) - We never thought Sam Sebastiani would leave us – and Sonoma. But he has, and not exactly by choice, at age 85. His fine reputation and accomplishments will last forever. I will leave to others the facts of Sam’s education, military service, many experiences, and life twists. But our family knew him strictly locally, via
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/15/145065/) - After decades of research, there is still no clearly articulated scientific consensus on what sleep is or why it exists
- [Trains and Trails Can Coexist](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/15/trains-and-trails-can-coexist/) - I’ve been thinking about the decision to go ahead with the bike trail from Shellville to Sonoma along the railroad right-of-way; glad to find out it doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition. The right-of-way is at least 20 feet wide (I just paced it off) and surely can accommodate the train and the trail.
- [How the Trustees Decided to Close Prestwood](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/15/how-the-trustees-decided-to-close-prestwood/) - By Anna Pier Sonoma Valley Unified School Board Trustees approved two resolutions at their regular meeting on October 9, thereby finalizing their preliminary decision of September 23 to close Prestwood Elementary School at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Both resolutions were approved by 4-1 votes, with Trustee Anne Ching, who represents the Eastside
- [Editorial: Our Halloween Nightmare](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/15/editorial-our-halloween-nightmare/) - Scary masks, skeletons in the closet and frightful costumes; these all have been part of Halloween forever, but today the situation in America has turned into a real Halloween nightmare. Now the masks are covering the faces of ICE agents as they terrorize communities, skeletons reveal bones of corruption, frightful costumes are worn by men
- [Sonoma Valley Pride Hosts Screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sebastiani Theatre for 50th Anniversary](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/04/sonoma-valley-pride-hosts-screening-of-the-rocky-horror-picture-show-at-sebastiani-theatre-for-50th-anniversary/) - Let’s Do the Time Warp Again! https://mynorthbaytickets.com/e/the-rocky-horror-show Sonoma Valley Pride is inviting the community to celebrate a cult classic in true over-the-top style! On Saturday, November 8, at 8:00 PM, the historic Sebastiani Theatre will host a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in honor of the film’s 50th anniversary. The night promises outrageous
- [Upcoming Events at Jack London State Park](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/14/upcoming-events-at-jack-london-state-park/) - Click Here to find out about all the upcoming events in the park.
- [](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/14/145055/) - Newsom, Siding with Tech Giants, Vetoes Online Hate Speech Bill
- [Kaniv, Ukraine, Sonoma's Sister City Bombed](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/11/kaniv-ukraine-sonomas-sister-city-bombed/) - Kaeti Bailie of Sonoma Sister Cities forwarded to the SUN the following reports from Anatoly Leontyev, President of the Friendship Association of Kaniv (Kanev), in the wake of a massive Russian bombing the night of October 10 of our Sister City. Hello Kaeti, Tonight there was a massive shelling of Kanev. Actually, for the first
- [New California Laws Protect Immigrant Families From ICE at Schools](https://sonomasun.com/2025/10/14/new-california-laws-protect-immigrant-families-from-ice-at-schools/) - State Superintendent Tony Thurmond celebrated the signing of Assembly Bill 49 (Muratsuchi) and Senate Bill 98 (Perez) into law October 13, by Governor Newsom, two bills co-sponsored by Superintendent Thurmond that seek to keep immigration enforcement off school campuses and ensure appropriate family notification if immigration agents are present at a school site. Since spring

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## Events

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- [Kitchen Concert at the Community Center March 30th](https://sonomasun.com/event/kitchen-concert-at-the-community-center-march-30th/) - The public is invited to a Kitchen Concert on March 30th at The Sonoma Community Center at 6 PM, Tickets available at the door $15 (cash), Room 110. Judy Bowles and Jessica Terwilliger and will each sing a set of songs including: R&B, Rock, Jazz, Pop, Reggae, Standards and probably one song in Dutch! They

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