The Sonoma Garden: Meet the All-in-One Almond tree

The All-in-One almond tree (Prunus dulcis) is one of my favorite trees. I added three in my front yard just last year and I'm already treasuring them. If you like beautiful flowers, edibles, and water-wise landscaping make some space for a few of these botanical... Continue

Hero Awards for area’s first responders

[caption id="attachment_86298" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Rep. Mike Thompson presents Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue his Public Safety Hero Award.[/caption] U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) presented his annual Public Safety Hero Award to the teams of first responders that battled the October wildfires. Traditionally,Thompson honors one law enforcement officer... Continue

Sonoma seeks applicants for city commissions, committees

The City of Sonoma has extended the deadline to submit an application for one of its Commissions and Committees. These volunteer assignments are charged with focusing on key issues within Sonoma and to then provide feedback, recommendations and support to the Council on those issues. Earlier... 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

A Day in the Life — Sonoma 2017

Welcome to The Sun’s annual holiday tradition, our special day in Sonoma. What does a typical day in the Valley look like? The following pictures, all shot on Friday, December 15, will give you some idea. Melania Mahoney took most of the pictures, with help... Continue

Walking to end hunger

Sonoma’s seventh annual CROP Hunger Walk (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) on Sunday, April 24, is one of many held each year across the U.S. under the auspices of Church World Service, a consortium of 39 Christian denominations working to alleviate global poverty. Registration begins at... Continue

Happy Hour Sonoma Valley Style

[caption id="attachment_18544" align="alignnone" width="420"] $1 oysters at Shiso’s weekly happy hour[/caption] Young or old, rich or poor, who doesn’t love a good happy hour? In my home state of Indiana, happy hour is illegal, out of fear that patrons will binge drink themselves into an... Continue

Kyle Busch drinks the wine at Sonoma

[caption id="attachment_53807" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Kyle Busch drinks the wine (Highway 12 Cabernet Sauvignon) from the goblet (made by Sonoma-based Leaderglass) as the winner of the 2015 Toyota/Save Mart (Photo: Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0)[/caption] Kyle Busch won the 2015 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway... Continue

Making up the rules

People have a love-hate relationship with rules; they love them when they apply to others, but hate them when they apply to themselves. Rules, however, are essential. Every functioning society, no matter how simple or sophisticated, has rules. Rules become laws and regulations when important... Continue

Motives for “Little Murders”

[caption id="attachment_53667" align="aligncenter" width="327"] (Photo: Ray Mabry)[/caption] New York in 1967 was a mad, mad world, and not in a funny way. Gritty, noisy, unforgiving, plagued by muggings, power failures, random shootings and obscene phone calls, it was enough to drive a family a bit... Continue