Sonoma Ecology Center is ‘Nonprofit of the Year’

[caption id="attachment_96274" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Richard Dale, Sen. Dodd and David Morell, Sonoma Ecology Center board member.[/caption] Sonoma Ecology Center, which has a nearly 30-year history of environmental stewardship and preservation in the Sonoma Valley, and most recently has taken leadership roles in regional wildfire recovery... Continue

Thirty-two Sonoma Valley teens are ‘Work Ready’

The smiles were plentiful and with good reason as Becky Jo Peterson, Teen Services Sonoma Executive Director, welcomed teens, family members, staff, board members and friends to celebrate the accomplishment of 32 amazing teens. The event was held Friday, April 12 at the Krug Event... Continue

Nonprofits may be the biggest losers under the new tax law

For the past 100 years, U.S. nonprofits have benefitted from the fact that Americans who filed an itemized tax return have been able to take a tax deduction for donations to their favorite charities. However, life changed dramatically for nonprofits on January 1 when the... Continue

Head of Sonoma Chamber of Commerce resigns

Patricia Shults, CEO of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce since November 2014, will vacate the post at the end of the month to return to Texas, and a leadership role at Art Alliance Austin. Before taking the Sonoma job, Shults was vice president of membership... Continue

What does the Amazon/Whole Foods deal mean for local food producers?

Since Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in August, small, regional food producers have been asking questions about how the online retail giant will incorporate the supermarket chain into its business. Recent moves to centralize the decisions about product assortment—as well as changes... Continue

Benziger & Imagery sold to the Wine Group for $70-80 mill

Another Sonoma County winery has been sold to a wine industry behemoth. According to North Bay Business Journal, Benziger Family Winery and Imagery Winery have been sold, for an estimated $70-80 million, to the Wine Group. The Wine Group is based in Livermore. They make... Continue

Making tea out of Sonoma wine skins

[caption id="attachment_50485" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Republic of Tea's "Sonoma Teas" (Republic of Tea)[/caption] Novato based tea company, The Republic of Tea, has launched a new collection of iced and mulled teas made with wine skins from Sonoma County grapes. The tea, which is being made in... Continue

The People’s Pub: Palooza Gastropub

[caption id="attachment_47406" align="alignnone" width="420"] The chill patio at Palooza makes for an excellent, sunny wine country respite[/caption] It’s Saturday afternoon and the patio is packed. It’s sunny, 75 degrees, and “chill” is the only way to describe Palooza. A contingent of retirees from Oakmont hold... Continue

New pediatric dentist is ‘open wide’ in Sonoma

[caption id="attachment_36462" align="alignnone" width="420" caption="The staff of Sonoma Pediatric Dentistry: Becky Garcia, Dr. Lynn Hsia, Jenna Boules, Sandra Mehrens"][/caption] When she opened her Sonoma Pediatric Dentistry office, Lynn Hsia DDS made sure all the equipment was state-of-the-art -- the digital X-ray machine, the computer system... Continue

Sisters make jewelry company shine

[caption id="attachment_33477" align="alignnone" width="420" caption="The jewelry designs of Seana Pedelaborde are inspired by pop culture, the natural world and fashion history."][/caption] Seana Pedelaborde and her sister Tara Brown have brought their Amano Studio jewelry company to downtown Sonoma. The wholesale operation designs and creates vintage-inspired... Continue